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A recent study analyzing European and Asian genomes over the past 40,000 years unveils the occurrence and impact of genetic exchange between Homo sapiens and Homo neanderthalensis, our closest cousins. The research shows how Neanderthals’ genetic influence on humans was influenced by subsequent exchanges within our species.

Neanderthals, an extinct species of hominin, inhabited Europe and Asia until approximately 40,000 years ago. Initial findings from Neanderthal remains discovered in Germany in 1856 revealed their distinct physical characteristics resembling humans but with pronounced brows and barrel chests. However, advancements in ancient DNA research have demonstrated the genetic diversity within the Neanderthal group, as well as their close relationship to humans.

Paleogenetic research, which utilizes DNA extracted from Neanderthal teeth and modern humans, has provided insights into the ancient interactions between these two hominin species. The study examined 4,464 Eurasian genomes, including both ancient and modern samples, to assess their interrelation based on geographic origin and age.

The research team discovered that the migration of early farmers from Anatolia and the Levant, who had less Neanderthal ancestry, diluted the amount of Neanderthal DNA in European populations around 10,000 years ago. This explains the higher proportion of Neanderthal ancestry in East Asian populations compared to Western European populations. While Neanderthal remains have been found as far east as the Altai mountains in Central Asia, most Neanderthal remains are concentrated in western Eurasia, suggesting hybridization with early modern humans.

Computer simulations conducted by the team previously revealed that populations migrating and interbreeding with different groups elsewhere would possess a percentage of local DNA proportional to the distance they traveled. Essentially, Homo sapiens moving farther away from Africa would have more Neanderthal DNA in their genomes. However, analyzing paleogenomes of hunter-gatherers during the Paleolithic did not solely explain the higher levels of Neanderthal ancestry observed in East Asia. The additional range expansion of early farmers from Anatolia and the Levant, which replaced hunter-gatherers in Europe, was necessary to explain the current distribution of Neanderthal ancestry.

The study focused on populations in Eurasia, where Neanderthals primarily resided. However, another group of researchers in 2020 discovered that modern African populations do possess some Neanderthal DNA, challenging the previous assumption that individuals who left Africa and interbred with Neanderthals never returned.

This study, coupled with further paleoanthropological finds and modeled analysis, continues to shed light on the history of genetic exchange between our species and our closest cousins. By combining both lines of research, a more comprehensive understanding of how modern genetic diversity developed is achieved.

Sources:
– Gizmodo:
– Science Advances:

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