Genetic research confirms that non-Africans are part Neanderthal

[Geriatrix]

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2011-07/uom-grc071411.php

Some of the human X chromosome originates from Neanderthals and is found exclusively in people outside Africa, according to an international team of researchers led by Damian Labuda of the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Montreal and the CHU Sainte-Justine Research Center. The research was published in the July issue of Molecular Biology and Evolution.

"This confirms recent findings suggesting that the two populations interbred," says Dr. Labuda. His team places the timing of such intimate contacts and/or family ties early on, probably at the crossroads of the Middle East.

Neanderthals, whose ancestors left Africa about 400,000 to 800,000 years ago, evolved in what is now mainly France, Spain, Germany and Russia, and are thought to have lived until about 30,000 years ago. Meanwhile, early modern humans left Africa about 80,000 to 50,000 years ago. The question on everyone's mind has always been whether the physically stronger Neanderthals, who possessed the gene for language and may have played the flute, were a separate species or could have interbred with modern humans. The answer is yes, the two lived in close association.

"In addition, because our methods were totally independent of Neanderthal material, we can also conclude that previous results were not influenced by contaminating artifacts," adds Dr. Labuda.

Dr. Labuda and his team almost a decade ago had identified a piece of DNA (called a haplotype) in the human X chromosome that seemed different and whose origins they questioned. When the Neanderthal genome was sequenced in 2010, they quickly compared 6000 chromosomes from all parts of the world to the Neanderthal haplotype. The Neanderthal sequence was present in peoples across all continents, except for sub-Saharan Africa, and including Australia.

"There is little doubt that this haplotype is present because of mating with our ancestors and Neanderthals. This is a very nice result, and further analysis may help determine more details," says Dr. Nick Patterson, of the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard University, a major researcher in human ancestry who was not involved in this study.

"Dr. Labuda and his colleagues were the first to identify a genetic variation in non-Africans that was likely to have come from an archaic population. This was done entirely without the Neanderthal genome sequence, but in light of the Neanderthal sequence, it is now clear that they were absolutely right!" adds Dr. David Reich, a Harvard Medical School geneticist, one of the principal researchers in the Neanderthal genome project.

So, speculates Dr. Labuda, did these exchanges contribute to our success across the world? "Variability is very important for long-term survival of a species," says Dr. Labuda. "Every addition to the genome can be enriching." An interesting match, indeed.

 

[bboy]

this explains a lot

 

[Polymathic]

X chromosone only, so basically our ancestors killed the Neanderthal men and stoled their women

 

[Jola]

Or one of our ancestors met a lonely Neanderthal chick on a dark and chilly evening ...

 

[Polymathic]

or maybe a case of "when you hard up, you'll take anything that comes your way"

 

[LazyLion]

Wasn't me.

 

[porchrat]

X chromosone only, so basically our ancestors killed the Neanderthal men and stoled their women

You think men don't have an X chromosome?

The X chromosomes could just as easily have come from males.

 

[w1z4rd]

Hasnt this being news for a while now? Or was it previously just speculation?

 

[Sokum]

or maybe a case of "when you hard up, you'll take anything that comes your way"

As dit pap reen dan moet jy skep!

 

[K3NS31]

My colleague and I were just having a laugh about the implications of this - turns out we are the pure race and it's those Europeans who are "mixed"; OH the irony

 

[AstroTurf]

My colleague and I were just having a laugh about the implications of this - turns out we are the pure race and it's those Europeans who are "mixed"; OH the irony

Love it, We must be the alien race that landed and started pairing off with the earthlings

Of course this will give extremists more ammo...

 

[Knyro]

Hasnt this being news for a while now? Or was it previously just speculation?

It has (been news that is). Take a look at this article from over a year ago.

BTW. Is calling someone a Neanderthal racist now?

Of course this will give extremists more ammo...

It makes no difference. Consider this:

If it were determined that Africans had Neanderthal DNA and everyone else didn't they'd say: "Ha! Africans have Neanderthal DNA, therefore they are inferior."

Now it may be: "Ha! We have Neanderthal DNA, therefore we are superior."

Even if there were no difference they'd still find something.

You can't win with these morons, its best to ignore them and carry on with your day.

 

[Apache]

I suspect that neanderthals are actually modern humans.

 

[porchrat]

I suspect that neanderthals are actually modern humans.

What makes you suspect this? Links to papers please.

 

[marine1]

Cough Julius cough cough

 

[Apache]

What makes you suspect this? Links to papers please.

look around...

joking.

 

[Apache]

What makes you suspect this? Links to papers please.

You can mistake neanderthal bones for human bones.

My view is that neanderthals where humans. The earth was different pre-flood and as a result the humans were different.

 

[porchrat]

You can mistake neanderthal bones for human bones.

My view is that neanderthals where humans. The earth was different pre-flood and as a result the humans were different.

Oh by the power of Greyskull is there anything that comes out of you that isn't disproven religious rubbish?

This is the Natural Science forum. Take your religious anti-science to PD where it belongs.

 

[Apache]

Oh by the power of Greyskull is there anything that comes out of you that isn't disproven religious rubbish?

This is the Natural Science forum. Take your religious anti-science to PD where it belongs.

I would like to debate this issue with you, however according to PD rules I have to wait 3 months to post there. So will chat with you September/October sometime.
I am pro-science also by the way.

 

[porchrat]

I would like to debate this issue with you, however according to PD rules I have to wait 3 months to post there. So will chat with you September/October sometime.
I am pro-science also by the way.

LOL yea whatever I don't want to hear about your "pro-science" literal global Noah flood that science says didn't happen thanks. Please don't pollute this wonderful haven of rationality with this stuff. Stick to science in the science forum please or don't bother posting.