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Related Concept Videos

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Natural selection, a fundamental concept in evolutionary biology, is the mechanism by which evolution is driven, favoring organisms that are best adapted to their environments. This process enhances their chances of survival and reproduction. Adaptation, a key outcome of this process, involves genetic modifications that optimize an organism's functionality under specific environmental challenges, such as extreme cold or thinner air at high altitudes.
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 11, 2026

Application of I TASSER, trRosetta, UCSF Chimera, HADDOCK server, and HEX loria for De Novo and In Silico Design of Proteins
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Disease consequences of human adaptation.

Justin C Fay1

  • 1Department of Genetics, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, United States.

Applied & Translational Genomics
|November 30, 2016
PubMed
Summary

Human evolution shaped our traits, but adaptations can lead to diseases. This review explores how evolutionary changes influence genetic diseases and linked alleles.

Area of Science:

  • Human Evolution
  • Genetics
  • Genomics

Background:

  • Adaptive evolution has conferred unique human characteristics, including morphological, physiological, and cellular changes.
  • Natural selection prioritizes fitness, meaning advantageous mutations increase in frequency regardless of potential negative health consequences.
  • The current prevalence of human diseases may be a consequence of past evolutionary adaptations.

Approach:

  • Review of genome-wide and gene-specific studies examining the role of adaptive evolution in human genetic disease.
  • Analysis of disease consequences stemming from adaptive phenotypes, such as bipedalism and pathogen resistance.
  • Examination of how adaptive mutations influence linked disease allele frequencies via genetic hitchhiking.

Key Points:

Keywords:
AdaptationEvolutionHealthHitchhikingTrade-offs

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  • Adaptive evolution has directly shaped the genetic basis of human diseases.
  • Phenotypic adaptations like bipedal locomotion and pathogen resistance are linked to specific health conditions.
  • Genetic hitchhiking demonstrates how selection for beneficial traits can indirectly increase the frequency of nearby disease-associated alleles.

    • Conclusions:

    • The interplay between human adaptation and disease is crucial for understanding functional genetic variation.
    • Studying this relationship offers avenues for discovering and characterizing novel genetic variations.
    • Evolutionary history is intrinsically linked to the landscape of human health and disease.