Darwin's Neandertal did not "Live long and Prosper"

Neanderthal Legacy: Unraveling the Genetic Threads of “Viking Disease”



Dupuytren's disease, also known as Viking disease, is a common disorder that causes the fingers to contract and bend towards the palm. It is most common in men over the age of 60, and is more prevalent in northern Europe.

A new study published in Molecular Biology and Evolution has found that three of the strongest genetic risk factors for Dupuytren's disease are inherited from Neanderthals. The study, which was conducted by researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden, looked at data from over 7,000 individuals with Dupuytren's disease.

The researchers found that people who carry the Neanderthal variants for these genes are about twice as likely to develop Dupuytren's disease as those who do not carry the variants. The researchers also found that the Neanderthal variants are more common in people of European ancestry, which is consistent with the fact that Dupuytren's disease is more common in northern Europe.

The findings of this study suggest that Neanderthals may have been susceptible to Dupuytren's disease, and that this susceptibility was passed on to modern humans. The researchers believe that the Neanderthal variants may have conferred some benefit in the past, such as increased strength or grip. The oh-so familiar Darwinian "Just So" story! However, these variants may now be harmful, as they increase the risk of Dupuytren's disease.

The study's findings could lead to new treatments for Dupuytren's disease. By targeting the Neanderthal variants, researchers may be able to develop drugs that can prevent or slow the progression of the disease.

The study also has implications for our understanding of human evolution. It suggests that Neanderthals and modern humans shared a number of genetic risk factors for diseases, and that these risk factors may have been passed on to modern humans through interbreeding.

Northern European humans share about 2% of their DNA with Neanderthals.  It is thought to be the result of interbreeding (introgression and back breeding) between humans and Neanderthals.

About 50,000 years ago, humans and Neanderthals lived in the same region of Europe and Asia. It is thought that they interbred on a regular basis, and this is how humans came to share some of their DNA with Neanderthals.

The amount of Neanderthal DNA that humans share varies from person to person. Some people have more Neanderthal DNA than others. This is thought to be due to the fact that different groups of humans interbred with Neanderthals to different extents.

Humans share about 40% of their HOX genes with Neanderthals. This means that there are about 60% of HOX genes that are unique to either humans or Neanderthals. HOX genes are a group of genes that are involved in the development of the body plan. They are responsible for determining the position and size of different body parts, such as the limbs, organs, and skin. The fact that humans and Neanderthals share so many HOX genes suggests that they had a very similar body plan. However, the 60% of HOX genes that are unique to either humans or Neanderthals may have contributed to some of the physical differences between the two species, such as the shape of the skull and the size of the brain.

Hox genes are a group of genes that are involved in the development of the body plan in animals. They are found in all animals, from worms to humans. In humans and Neanderthals, some Hox genes are identical, while others are slightly different. This suggests that the Hox genes in humans and Neanderthals are a result of horizontal gene transfer (HGT).

HGT is the process by which genes are transferred from one organism to another, not through reproduction. It can happen between different species, or even between different kingdoms of life. In the case of Hox genes, it is possible that some of the genes were transferred from Neanderthals to humans, or vice versa.

Ultimately, it is not possible to say for sure whether the Hox genes in humans and Neanderthals are a result of common ancestry or HGT. More research is needed to determine the exact mechanism by which these genes were transferred.


The Swedish scientist Svante Paabo won the Nobel Prize in medicine last year for discoveries concerning the epigenetic differences between Neanderthal and human hox genes. This creates a new field called paleo-epigenetics which will yield the real difference between species.

Hox genes are a group of genes that are involved in the development of the body plan in animals. They are named after the homeobox, a DNA sequence that is found in all Hox genes. Hox genes are arranged in a cluster on the chromosome, and they are expressed in a specific order, which determines the order in which different body parts develop.

In humans and Neanderthals, Hox genes are controlled by epigenetics. Epigenetic changes are changes in gene expression that are not caused by changes in the DNA sequence. NeoDarwinism requires a change via random mutations. They can be caused by environmental factors, such as the end of the last ice age when humans arose or diet, stress, and exposure to toxins. Epigenetic changes can be inherited, and they can affect the development of the body and the risk of disease. Epigenetics and Jumping genes (TEs) are a non Darwinian process as it does not mutate the nucleotide sequence rather change how it is expressed. NeoDarwinism causes slow nucleotide changes via random mutations.

One study found that Hox genes are expressed differently in the brains of humans and Neanderthals. This suggests that epigenetic changes may have played a role in the evolution of the human brain. The human big bang of cultural change, language, religious symbols, art, etc happened 120k years ago in an instant. Neandertal never had this even though they occurred from 300k to 50k years ago. These changes occurred much too fast for Darwin's random mutations. Another study found that epigenetic changes can affect the risk of developing diseases such as cancer and Alzheimer's disease and schizophrenia. 

Overall, research suggests that Hox genes are controlled by epigenetics in humans and Neanderthals. Epigenetic changes can affect the development of the body and the risk of disease.

Here are some additional details about Hox genes and epigenetics:

  • Hox genes are essential for the development of the body plan in animals. They control the development of body parts such as the head, limbs, and internal organs.

  • Epigenetic changes are changes in gene expression that are not caused by changes in the DNA sequence as per Neo Darwinism. They can be caused by environmental factors, such as diet, stress, and exposure to toxins.

  • Epigenetic changes can be inherited, and they can affect the development of the body and the risk of disease.

  • Research suggests that Hox genes are controlled by epigenetics in humans and Neanderthals.

  • Epigenetic changes can affect the development of the body and the risk of disease.

  • Epigenetic research is a promising area for understanding human evolution and for developing new treatments for diseases.

Transposable elements (TEs) or jumping genes can move between species via their microbiome with horizontal gene transfer (HGT) giving the appearance of common ancestry whereas it's not.

TEs are pieces of DNA that can move from one location to another in the genome. They can do this by copying themselves and then inserting the copy into a new location. TEs can also move between genomes, even between different species. This is called horizontal gene transfer (HGT).

HGT can happen in a number of ways, including:

  • Direct transfer of DNA from one cell to another. This can happen through direct contact between cells, or through the exchange of fluids or other body substances.

  • Transfer of DNA through a virus aka ERV. Viruses can infect cells and insert their DNA into the host cell's genome.

  • Transfer of DNA through a plasmid. Plasmids are small, circular pieces of DNA that can be transferred between cells.

TEs can be transferred between species through HGT. This can happen when two organisms of different species share a common microbiome. The microbiome is the collection of microorganisms that live in or on an organism. So if primates or neandertal shared a common area their microbiomes (shared bacteria) would also be shared giving the appearance of common ancestry after HGT of TEs occurred. Microorganisms in the microbiome can carry TEs, and these TEs can be transferred to the host organism.

When TEs are transferred between species, they can give the appearance of common ancestry. This is because the TEs will be present in both genomes, even though the organisms do not share a common ancestor. However, it is important to remember that TEs can be transferred between species through HGT, so the presence of a TE in two different genomes does not necessarily mean that the two organisms share a common ancestor.

HGT is a powerful mechanism for the spread of TEs in a non Darwinian manor, and it can have a significant impact on the genomes of organisms.


These authors say the "March of evolution" is not correct rather populations are "reticulated."

 "We infer a reticulated African population history is the result of a complex history of population mixing and migration. This history dates back to  a period of global cooling that occurred between 14,000 and 12,000 years ago. During this period, there was a major migration of people out of Africa, which led to the mixing of different populations and the formation of the present-day population structure.

The term "reticulate" refers to a network of interconnected lines or branches. In the context of population history,


 It refers to a pattern of population mixing in which different populations have been in contact with each other for a long period of time. This can happen through a variety of mechanisms, such as migration, trade, and warfare.

The evidence for a reticulated African population history comes from a variety of sources, including genetic data, archaeological evidence, and linguistic data. Genetic data shows that there is a great deal of genetic diversity within Africa, which is consistent with a long history of population mixing. Archaeological evidence shows that there have been many different cultures and civilizations in Africa over the past 10,000 years, which also suggests that there has been a great deal of population movement. Linguistic data shows that there are many different languages spoken in Africa, which is also consistent with a history of population mixing.

TEs (transposable elements) and HGT (horizontal gene transfer) can lead to reticulated populations. A reticulated population is one in which individuals share genetic material from multiple lineages. This can happen through a variety of mechanisms, including TEs and HGT.

TEs are mobile genetic elements that can insert themselves into the genome of any organism. They can be passed from parent to offspring, but they can also move between organisms through HGT. This means that TEs can introduce new genetic material into a population, even if the individuals in that population are not closely related.

HGT can introduce new genetic material into a population, even if the individuals in that population are not closely related. This can lead to the formation of reticulated populations.

Reticulate populations are important because they can challenge our understanding of evolution. Traditionally, we have thought of evolution as a branching process (Darwin's "Tree of Life"), with new lineages arising from old lineages. However, reticulate populations suggest that evolution can also be a network-like process, with genes and genetic material flowing between different lineages.

This has important implications for our understanding of the history of life. For example, it suggests that the tree of life may not be as simple as we once thought. It also suggests that we need to be careful about how we define species, as reticulate populations can blur the lines between different groups of organisms.

Overall, TEs and HGT can lead to the formation of reticulated populations. These populations are important because they challenge our understanding of evolution.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Beyond the Sequence: The Epigenetic "Fingers" That Play the DNA Keyboard

Image
Imagine the keyboard itself is not a standard piano keyboard, but a modular synthesizer, capable of producing an almost infinite array of sounds. The DNA sequence, then, represents the fundamental building blocks of this synthesizer, the raw materials from which all sounds are generated. Epigenetics, our "fingers," manipulates these building blocks, adjusting parameters like volume, timbre, and rhythm, transforming the raw potential of the DNA sequence into a symphony of cellular functions. We can further refine the "fingers" analogy. Consider that each finger represents a distinct epigenetic mechanism: DNA methylation, histone modifications, and non-coding RNA.  DNA methylation, for instance, might be the "index finger," capable of precisely silencing specific genes, like muting individual keys on the synthesizer. Histone modifications, the "middle finger," could represent the ability to adjust the accessibility of the DN...
Read more

Why are Christian philosophers running towards Darwin while biologists are "running" away?

Image
As nature reveals the strength of epigenetics and the weakness of Neo-Darwinism, biologists are “running” away from the long-standing accepted theory. In The Federalist , April 2019, Benjamin Dierker reviews “Why one-third of biologists now question Darwinism”: "Current estimates are that approximately one-third of professional academic biologists who do not believe in intelligent design find Darwin’s Theory inadequate to describe all of the complexity in biology.” Dierker continues, “The important note is that these are not ideologues or religious zealots, nor do they propose a god or biblical solution.  Rather, they find problems in the lack of explanatory power of Darwin’s theory in light of modern understanding of mutation, variation, DNA sequencing and more. These expressions of doubt do not reject naturalism or evolution per se, but the rigor of the Neo-Darwinian model for explaining the development of life.” For 40 years, scientists calculated natural se...
Read more

Rewriting the Rules: Epigenomic Mutation Bias Challenges Randomness in Evolution

Image
This research challenges the long-held dogma that mutations occur randomly, irrespective of their consequences, by demonstrating a clear, epigenome-mediated mutation bias in Arabidopsis thaliana . The study meticulously unveils how mutation rates are not uniform across the genome but are significantly reduced in functionally constrained regions, particularly within gene bodies and essential genes. This discovery fundamentally alters our understanding of evolutionary processes, suggesting that mutation is not a purely directionless force. "Mutation bias reflects natural selection in Arabidopsis thaliana" This opening statement encapsulates the core finding: mutation rates are not random but reflect epigenetic pressures. The authors demonstrate that mutations are less frequent in crucial genomic regions, directly contradicting the prevailing theory of random mutation. This observation suggests an active mechanism that minimizes deleterious mutations in essentia...
Read more