Mating with Neanderthals Good for Human Health

Discovery News ^ | Friday, June 17, 2011 | Tim Wall

[SunkenCiv]

Interbreeding between humans and Neanderthals may have given Europeans and Asians resistance to northern diseases that their African ancestors didn't have.

Peter Parham, professor of microbiology and immunology at Stanford, recently presented evidence to the Royal Society in London that Europeans gained many of the genes for human leukocyte antigens (HLAs) from neanderthals.

The antigens helped them adapt to diseases in the north much more quickly than would have otherwise occurred.

Comparisons of the human and Neanderthal genomes were conducted by Parham to locate similarities and differences in the DNA of modern human populations and Neanderthals.

Parham found that modern Europeans and Asians have some genes identical to those of Neanderthals. One form, or allele, of the HLA gene, named HLA-C*0702, was found in the Neanderthal DNA. An identical allele is quite common in modern European and Asian populations, but is absent in modern Africans.

A recently discovered species of hominid, or human-like species, from Siberia, called the Denisovans has not yet had its genes sequenced, but Parham believes the peoples of Asia may have gained some of their DNA from them. The allele HLA-A*11 also appears in modern Asians, but not in Africans.

[SunkenCiv]

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks Cacique.

[cripplecreek]

I was mating with neanderthals before it was cool.

[max americana]

here comes the mandatory “HT” pic...

[JoeProBono]

[donhunt]

I used to have a business partner who was a Neanderthal.
He may have been healthy but he sure was stupid.

[dangus]

Nope. Try more like this:

[aruanan]

Nope. Try more like this:

A young Ron Weasley?

[humblegunner]

Mating with Neanderthals Good for Human Health

Just sayin'...

[LongElegantLegs]

What is that from?

[GunsAndBibles]

Sorry, I don’t date outside my species...

(classic meet market rejection line from the ‘80s)

[JoeProBono]

[Lazamataz]

I’d hit it.

[Poser]

“Mating with Neanderthals Good for Human Health”

In that case, I’ll see if I can find one tonight.

[BitWielder1]

What is that from?

I think it's Quest for Fire, if so that's Rae Dawn Chong,

[JoeProBono]

[dljordan]

“I was mating with neanderthals before it was cool.”

My wife has been mating with one for 32 years.

[dljordan]

She’s hot!

[tophat9000]

Neanderthal Nookie ping!

[dragonblustar]

Mating with Neanderthals Good for Human Health

No it was not!!!!!