Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 25, 2026
04:52
Following the Dynamics of Structural Variants in Experimentally Evolved Populations
Published on: February 3, 2023
Clusters of adaptive evolution in the human genome
Laura B Scheinfeldt1, Shameek Biswas, Jennifer Madeoy
1Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington Seattle, WA, USA.
Frontiers in Genetics
|February 4, 2012
Summary
Recent positive selection in the human genome was investigated. Analysis revealed three distinct signals of selection around the ALMS1 gene, indicating complex adaptive evolution in human populations.
Area of Science:
- Human evolutionary genetics
- Population genetics
- Genomics
Background:
- Identifying regions of the human genome under recent positive selection is crucial for understanding human evolution.
- Detailed follow-up studies of these regions are less common but essential for in-depth analysis.
- Previous work identified the ALMS1 gene as a target of recent positive selection in Eurasian populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To conduct a detailed follow-up analysis of genetic variation in the ALMS1 region.
- To identify and characterize signals of recent positive selection.
- To explore broader patterns of adaptive evolution across the human genome.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data from HapMap and Human Genome Diversity Project (HGDP) samples.
- Examination of sequence data from the ALMS1 region.
- Computational analysis to identify clusters of independent selective events.
Main Results:
- Discovery of three independent and distinct signals of recent positive selection within a 3 Mb region surrounding ALMS1.
- Identification of 19 additional clusters of putative adaptive evolution using HapMap data.
- Evidence suggests complex patterns of recent positive selection shaping human genetic variation.
Conclusions:
- The ALMS1 region harbors multiple independent signals of recent positive selection.
- Genome-wide scans for positive selection require careful interpretation due to potential clusters of adaptive events.
- This study enhances our understanding of how recent positive selection has shaped the human genome.
Keywords:
clustered adaptive events
Related Concept Videos
02:31Synteny and Evolution
John H. Renwick first coined the term “synteny” in 1971, which refers to the genes present on the same chromosomes, even if they are not genetically linked. The species with common ancestry tend to show conserved syntenic regions. Therefore, the concept of synteny is nowadays used to describe the evolutionary relationship between species.
Around 80 million years ago, the human and mice lineages diverged from the common ancestor. During the course of evolution, the ancestral chromosome underwent...
Around 80 million years ago, the human and mice lineages diverged from the common ancestor. During the course of evolution, the ancestral chromosome underwent...
02:51Multi-species Conserved Sequences
Next-generation sequencing technologies have created large genomic databases of a variety of animals and plants. Ever since the human genome project was completed, scientists studied the genome of primates, mammals, and other phylogenetically distant living beings. Such large-scale studies have provided new insights into the evolutionary relationship between organisms.
Although the genome of each species varies greatly from each other, a few sequences are highly conserved. Such conserved DNA...
Although the genome of each species varies greatly from each other, a few sequences are highly conserved. Such conserved DNA...
02:54Evolutionary Relationships through Genome Comparisons
Genome comparison is one of the excellent ways to interpret the evolutionary relationships between organisms. The basic principle of genome comparison is that if two species share a common feature, it is likely encoded by the DNA sequence conserved between both species. The advent of genome sequencing technologies in the late 20th century enabled scientists to understand the concept of conservation of domains between species and helped them to deduce evolutionary relationships across diverse...
03:21Genome Size and the Evolution of New Genes
While every living organism has a genome of some kind (be it RNA, or DNA), there is considerable variation in the sizes of these blueprints. One major factor that impacts genome size is whether the organism is prokaryotic or eukaryotic. In prokaryotes, the genome contains little to no non-coding sequence, such that genes are tightly clustered in groups or operons sequentially along the chromosome. Conversely, the genes in eukaryotes are punctuated by long stretches of non-coding sequence.
03:21Genome Size and the Evolution of New Genes
While every living organism has a genome of some kind (be it RNA, or DNA), there is considerable variation in the sizes of these blueprints. One major factor that impacts genome size is whether the organism is prokaryotic or eukaryotic. In prokaryotes, the genome contains little to no non-coding sequence, such that genes are tightly clustered in groups or operons sequentially along the chromosome. Conversely, the genes in eukaryotes are punctuated by long stretches of non-coding sequence.
01:28Human Genetics
Human genetics provides a profound framework for understanding the interplay between genetic predispositions and human psychology. At the heart of this discipline lies the study of how genes influence physical traits, behaviors, and susceptibility to diseases. Each person carries a unique genetic code that subtly or significantly shapes their psychological and behavioral landscape.
The complex relationship between genetics and psychology is observable through common biological components such...
The complex relationship between genetics and psychology is observable through common biological components such...