Living fossils unearthed by blasting human chromosomes with Neanderthal mtDNA
- Author:
ZHANG Jia
1
,
2
;
ZHOU Cuilan
2
;
XIAO Li
2
;
TUO Qinhui
2
,
3
;
PENG Cuiying
2
;
GUO Zifen
2
;
LIAO Duanfang
1
,
2
,
3
;
LI Kai
1
,
2
,
3
Author Information
1. National Engineering Research Center of Personalized Diagnostic and Therapeutic Technology, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, Hunan 410208, China
2. SNP Institute, School of Life Science, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan 421001, China
3. Division of Stem Cell Regulation and Application, Key Laboratory for Quality Evaluation of Bulk Herbs of Hunan Province, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, Hunan 410208, China
- Publication Type:Review
- From:
Digital Chinese Medicine
2022;5(3):236-241
- CountryChina
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
The successful retrieval of ancient mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) from Neanderthals provides powerful experimental evidence that clarifies the arguments between the out-of-Africa and multiregional models of evolution. However, the lack of nuclear DNA from Neanderthal fossils and mtDNA of early modern human fossils dating back to approximately the same time in the Pleistocene constitutes a limitation that may compromise the significance of mtDNA phylogenetic analysis. In this report, we introduce a mitochromic analysis using Neanderthal mtDNA as a foreign transgene and humans as a naturally occurring transgenic species. Forty Neanderthal mtDNA retrievable nuclear fragments were identified by blasting human genome data with Neanderthal mtDNA. Five of the 40 fragments exhibited higher correlation with Neanderthal mtDNA than those with modern human mtDNA. Furthermore, these five nuclear fragments harbor Neanderthal mtDNA-unique haplotypes. Based on the 98%+ identity between Neanderthal and modern human mtDNA when compared by groups, we suggest that some of the modern human nuclear fragments retrieved using Neanderthal mtDNA may aid in decoding Neanderthal genetic information, and also may simultaneously demonstrate a close genetic evolutionary relationship between modern humans and Neanderthals.
- Full text:likai.pdf
