Concept explainers
The unexpected discovery that humans interbred with Neanderthals was a triumph for the experts who developed the techniques for extracting, isolating, and sequencing ancient DNA. But perhaps the most stunning revelation made possible by ancient DNA was the discovery of the Denisovans, a hominin species whose existence would still be unknown if not for analysis of its ancient DNA. The fossil fragments from which the DNA was extracted were too few, too small, and too nondescript to have even been recognized as belonging to a previously unknown species. A newfound ability to identify new extinct species on the basis of DNA alone raises the intriguing possibility of future discovery of other previously unsuspected species, hommin and otherwise.
Like Neanderthals, Denisovans left a genetic trace in modern humans. One example is the Denisovan gene variant that helps Tibetans live at high altitude. Additionally, the people native to New Guinea and other Pacific islands carry a substantial number of Demsovan sequences. Almost 5% of the genome of these people is of Demsovan origin. This finding suggests that Denisovans interbred with the ancestors of Pacific Islanders, either in mainland Asia before the islands were first cotonized by people, or later, if Denisovans were somehow able to get to multiple islands.
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Biology
- In 1979, bones found outside Ekaterinburg, Russia, were shown to be those of Tsar Nicholas and his family, who were executed in 1918 by a Bolshevik firing squad in the Russian Revolution . To prove that the skeletons were those of the royal family, mtDNA was extracted from the bone samples, amplified by PCR, and compared with mtDNA from living relatives of the tsar’s family. Q. Mitochondrial DNA from which living relatives would provide useful information for verifying that the skeletons were those of the royal family?arrow_forwardIf mutations such as those of the Ubx gene can drastically change morphology in a single step, why do most evolutionary biologists maintain that modification of existingtraits and the evolution of novel characters have generally proceeded by successive small steps?arrow_forwardWorking as an Anthropologist in South Africa, you’ve been given four hominin craniums and are asked to develop a new classification system. Using cranium size, the robustness of the cheek bones and brow ridges, and the prognathism of the face, how would you categorize these four skulls into species? Would you categorize all four of them as belonging to the same genus? Two geneses? Three geneses? Four geneses? Do you believe any of them are the same species? Explain how you would categorize these four specimens. Explain what features you used to categorize these specimens.arrow_forward
- Working as an Anthropologist in South Africa, you’ve been given four hominin craniums and are asked to develop a new classification system. Using cranium size, the robustness of the cheek bones and brow ridges, and the prognathism of the face, how would you categorize these four skulls into species? Would you categorize all four of them as belonging to the same genus? Two geneses? Three geneses? Four geneses? Do you believe any of them are the same species? Explain how you would categorize these four specimens. Explain what features you used to categorize these specimens. This is the image of the 4 different hominin individualsarrow_forwardWorking as an Anthropologist in South Africa, you’ve been given four hominin craniums and are asked to develop a new classification system. Using cranium size, the robustness of the cheek bones and brow ridges, and the prognathism of the face, how would you categorize these four skulls into species? Would you categorize all four of them as belonging to the same genus? Two geneses? Three geneses? Four geneses? Do you believe any of them are the same species? Explain how you would categorize these four specimens. Explain what features you used to categorize these specimens. (Use complete sentences. Minimum of 4 sentences.)arrow_forwardIf mutations such as those of the Ubx gene candrastically change morphology in a single step,why do most evolutionary biologists maintainthat modification of existing traits and the evolution of novel characters have generally proceeded by successive small steps?arrow_forward
- Would you anticipate the DNA sequences of people living in what is now known as Italy in 1000BC to be similar to those living in the same area in 1900BC? If so, why or why not?arrow_forwardHow does the fact that all ethnic groups except Africans contain some Neanderthal DNA (1–4 percent of their DNA) support the out-of-Africa hypothesis for the origin of modern humans (Homo sapiens)?arrow_forward88. Carbon-14 dating can be used to give an age for which of the following? early hominids (~2 million years before present) the age of the earth (~4.5 billion years before present) early Homo sapiens wooden house structures in Europe (~35,000 years before present) dinosaur remains (~75 million years before present) It can only be used to date materials that are at most 5,000 years old.arrow_forward
- The Evolutionary History and Spread of Our Species (Homo sapiens) a. Briefly describe the two major theories discussed in this chapter about the origin of modern humans. b. Which of these two theories would predict a closer relationship for the various modern human populations? c. Which of the two theories is best supported by the genetic evidence?arrow_forwardGenomics and Human Evolution The Denisovan genome contains sequences that originated from an unknown human species. Using Figure 19.11, speculate on which species this might be. Is it possible that there are other ancestral species that may remain to be discovered that would change the phylogeny presented in the figure? FIGURE 19.11 Estimates for the dates of origin and extinction for the three main groups of hominins (green, blue, and orange). The australopithecines split into two groups about 2.7 million years ago. One of those groups, the genus Homo, contains the ancestors to our species, H. sapiens.arrow_forwardDNA sequences were analyzed from humans and three other mammals: species X, Y, and Z. Which of these mammals is most closely related to humans? (Note: Regions identical to human DNA are shown in bold type.)arrow_forward
- Human Heredity: Principles and Issues (MindTap Co...BiologyISBN:9781305251052Author:Michael CummingsPublisher:Cengage Learning