Human evolution continuing?

Thursday September 2nd, 2010

Some people may have unique genetic variants whilst many others share rare genetic traits with a small number of other people, according to a major study of human DNA published last night.

Researchers reported some of the latest findings of a global study of variations in the human genes in the journal Nature.

The HapMap3 project has analysed genes from more than 1,000 people in 11 populations around the world. The researchers said they had selected a wide range of populations.

They say they have found some evidence of continuing human evolution - with smell, the immune system and wound healing all being subject to genetic selection in different parts of the world.

Researcher Professor Manolis Dermitzakis, of the University of Geneva and formerly of the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Cambridgeshire, UK, said: "The closer we look at human genetic variation, the greater the granularity.

"An important task in genetics is to discriminate between the variants that are important for health and those that are part of the background.

"This new version of the HapMap will help us design ways to do that - to sort the wheat from the chaff."

The International HapMap 3 Consortium (2010) Integrating common and rare genetic variation in diverse human populations. Nature doi: 10.1038/nature09298

Tags: Europe | General Health | Genetics | UK News | World Health

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