Population demographic factors such as age, sex, diet and ethnicity explain the largest proportion of genetic variation between human populations (Fumagalli et al., 2011). Infectious agents including viruses, bacteria and protozoa are likely one of the strongest evolutionary drivers of the remaining genetic diversity within and between populations, as a result of the selective pressure they inflict in regions where infection is endemic. Mortality is the strongest selective pressure which is imposed by an infectious agent. Any genetic variant associated with an improved response to that pathogen is likely to be a target for selection (Fumagalli et al., 2011). Positive selection results in the increased frequency of a beneficial allele. Balancing selection maintains diversity, while negative selection eliminates deleterious variants. This process of natural selection leaves behind distinctive signatures of selection that can be exploited to identify regions of the genome under selection (Karlsson et al., 2014). Signatures of selection are distinctive because they reflect uncommon patterns of allele frequencies at a particular locus when compared to the underlying genetic variation. Candidate based gene approaches, Genome wide association studies (GWAS), haplotype based methods and various statistical tests such as Tajima’s D statistic are used to detect these signatures of selection within the human genome. This essay uses specific examples to discuss the evidence of
In the movie, Journey of Man: Genetic Odyssey, Spencer Wells talks about the origins of humans. He comes up with a theory that a person came from Africa many years ago. In addition, Wells tries to figure out why there were people from many parts of the world after they came from Africa. There are some main points in the video. One of them is that humans got different features in their bodies because humans lived in many different parts of the world and each of them had a different environment. For example, Europe typically doesn’t get as much sunlight as many parts of the world. Because of the lower amount of sunlight, humans who traveled to Europe didn’t have to deal with the damaging rays from the sun as much. In addition, the climate was
Genetics can help answer questions about our traits and why we look different and advance in different ways from each other in the world. Chapter 1 explains the basics about how genes work, and the portrayal of DNA and RNA. Chapter 2 describes RNA more in detail and it consist of the explanation of the human genome. Specifically, Chapter 3 clarifies how evolution works and how it relates to genetic and medical research. Furthermore, Chapter 4 and 5 explains the knowledge researchers have about genes role in health and diseases, and how society is affected with the advances in medicine and science given approximate credit to these researchers.
One thing about natural selection that many people do not understand that natural selection does not increase the odds of survival for a species, but for individuals in that species. This makes sense when someone considers humans. Humans live in many social cultures, where for instance, the odds of survival in a group can be improved by the selection of certain traits that does not improve an individual’s odds of survival. Coyne states, one never sees the type of adaptations that benefit the group to the detriment of an individual (p.122).
Ever since life first appeared on the planet we call home, these organisms have been changing in a process called evolution. Evolution favors genetic traits that helps a species thrive and reproduce and tries to weed out the traits that threaten a species’ chance of survival. Genes that give a survival or reproductive advantage spread through the gene pool faster while genes that do not help a species get less common. This key mechanism of evolution is called natural selection. But even with evolution and natural selection, genetic diseases that make people sick are still in the gene pool after hundreds of thousands of years. So why would this happen? In Dr. Sharon Moalem’s Survival of the Sickest, he proposes that many of today’s deadly genetic
Race, such a subjective matter that most classify solely on observable traits based on traditional race concepts. However race exists in humans through cultural and biological concepts. In other words, race is based on its scientific meaning, which is taken from its visual and genetic signs of human variety. “After all it is an idea with a measurable past, identifiable present, and uncertain future”. St. A SHORT HISTORY OF THE RACE CONCEPT Michael Yudell, PhD, MPH. Through observing the human genome project that explores human molecular selves, skin color variation, and lastly race/human variation as a whole, a clear picture of race can be scientifically explained.
The book begins by exploring gene variations in the human genome, and finding genes that show “strong signs of selection” over the last 10,000 years or so. This is possible due to relatively recent
One of the most astonishing things on earth is the human body. They consist of many organs that work together to maintain the person alive. The humans body composition is complex, but what was the origin? How did we become who we are today? These are the questions that intrigued me, and allowed me to understand how the human body evolved over the years. By the examination of our ancestors, and our body we will understand how we look today.
The living human population is 0.0105% the size of the initial total population and 0.001% of the current population, the corpse population is 110.1324% the size of the initial total population and 99.983% of the current population, and the zombie population is 0.0078% the size of the total initial population and 0.007% of the current population.
Please read Rana et al. (1999). You may also find parts of chapter 6 in your textbook helpful. Then answer the following questions. You will also use some datasets to conduct your own analyses.
Did you know that there are hundreds of cool genetic mutations that you may not know about? Genetic mutations are permanent alterations of the nucleotide sequence of the genome (an organism 's complete set of DNA) of an organism, virus, or extrachromosomal DNA or other genetic elements. Genetic mutations can be good, there are all sorts of genetic mutations that can be good, it is as simple as the color of your eye or as complex as having a sprinting “superpower”. This also includes having the ability to see more colors than the average human eye, or being able to taste more than what is considered normal. There are people that may argue that all genetic mutations are harmful. Dr.David stated that “To summarize, recent research has
Gyngell’s article analyzes the potential for HGE to increase the human life span, while providing a description of the process of HGE and predicting that HGE may eliminate disease via gene selection. Both of these articles provide credible and informative arguments that illustrate many different aspects of the potential impacts of HGE.
Evolution is a change in the genetic makeup of a population over time, with natural selection its major driving mechanism. Darwin’s theory, which is supported by evidence from many scientific disciplines, states that inheritable variations occur in individuals in a population. Due to competition for limited resources, individuals with more favorable variations or phenotypes are more likely to survive and produce more offspring, thus passing traits to future generations. In addition to the process of natural selection, naturally occurring catastrophic and human induced events as well as random environmental changes can result in alteration in the gene pools of populations. Small populations are especially sensitive to these forces. A diverse
Humans have existed on Earth for approximately 3.4 million years. The oldest known human ancestor is "Lucy," an Australopithecus. Over this extensive period of time, humans have evolved significantly. Homo Sapiens have grown from 3 to almost 6 feet (average), lost most of the body hair, became leaner and adapted to walking. Humans have come a long way, from Australopithecus to Homo sapiens, from living in trees to living in cities. Slowly, through hundreds of thousands of years, we mutated over and over again, natural selection ensuring that no destructive mutations continue. From the slow evolution, four distinctive species emerged and died out, each giving way to its ' descendant: Homo Habilis, Homo Erectus, Homo Sapiens Neanderthalesis, and Homo sapiens Sapiens.
The Human Genome Project basically was a research program that worked on a goal to get an image of human genome and get a better understanding of all a human beings genes. DNA is founded on 4 chemical bases, they turn into twisted ladder shaped DNA molecules. And all the the four bases are what create the genes just placed in different ways and different lengths. One revelation of the human genome project was when they learned that there are about 20,500 genes. The Human Genome Project brought many scientist together around the world and each one was an important factor for the project. It was a publicly funded organization and got funds and support from the Department of Energy and US National Institutes of Health
Human evolution according to research started over 6 million years ago. The outcome of the evolution process is the current human beings. Scientific studies have revealed over the years a remarkable affinity between the chimpanzees/Apes and human beings. Even though this reality is not a definitive prove that human beings evolved from apes, it does show that the human beings are in one way or another related to other primates. Scientists suppose that the humans and the primates shared a common ancestor. The subject of what makes humans what they are and their origin has been the exclusive purpose leading to many scientific studies globally (Coolidge & Wynn, 2011). Studies believe that Africa was the origin of evolution millions of years ago. Fossil remains have been discovered in different parts of Africa as well as other regions of the world. Different hominins have been discovered around the world in the last 1 million years. Thus, the different discoveries have led to comparisons between the various species of hominins to clarify on their similarities as well as differences. This essay seeks to explain whether they were distinctively different species or regional versions of the same species.