Genes Promoting Fertility Are Found in Europeans (possibly longevity)-NYT

[Rose Siding]

Researchers in Iceland have discovered a region in the human genome that, among Europeans, appears to promote fertility, and maybe longevity as well.

Though the region, a stretch of DNA on the 17th chromosome, occurs in people of all countries, it is much more common in Europeans, as if its effect is set off by something in the European environment. A further unusual property is that the region has a much more ancient lineage than most human genes and the researchers suggest, as one possible explanation, that it could have been inserted into the human genome through interbreeding with one of the archaic human lineages that developed in parallel with that of modern humans.

The genetic region was discovered by scientists at DeCode Genetics of Reykjavik who have made the Icelandic population, with its comprehensive genealogy and medical records, a prime hunting ground for the genetic roots of common diseases. Their finding is published in Monday's issue of Nature Genetics in a report by Dr. Kari Stefansson, Dr. Augustine Kong, Dr. Hrein Stefansson and other Decode scientists.

The report seems likely to receive considerable attention, even though it raises as many questions as it answers. "I thought it was one of the most interesting papers in population genetics I have ever read," said Dr. Nick Patterson, a mathematician at the Broad Institute in Cambridge, Mass., who advised Decode on the article but has no other connection with the company....

http://nytimes.com/2005/01/16/health/16cnd-gene.html?hp&ex=1105938000&en=6e56db2c364273e2&ei=5094&partner=homepage

[Lydia Leftcoast]

1. This is fascinating, because the standard line is that

there was no cross-breeding among the various humanoid species.

I've always suspected (with no proof whatsoever) that there was interbreeding between Cro-Magnons and Neanderthals, because the traits of pinkish-beige skin, blue eyes, and light-colored hair are found only in the areas (Europe and the Middle East) where Neanderthals lived.

Wouldn't it be delightfully ironic if the traits that the Nazis prized were not traits of some "master race," but the traits of the Neanderthals. :evilgrin:

[ogradda]

2. ooo so delightfully ironic!

:evilgrin:

[Lone_Star_Dem]

3. I can see the humor in that.

What fun if it would be to prove that it was due to cross breeding with a lower species!

It would also give a whole new twist to blonde jokes. :D