Neanderthal genome inherited by humans, study says

Hi Ms Andrews Interesting stuff!
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This article was sent to you by someone who found it on SFGate.
The original article can be found on SFGate.com here:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2011/08/26/MN971KQCVQ.DTL
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Friday, August 26, 2011 (SF Chronicle)
Neanderthal genome inherited by humans, study says
David Perlman, Chronicle Science Editor


SAN FRANCISCO -- It's a tale of romance from the Ice Age - and its
consequences today.
Long ago, in a part of the world now known as Europe, early modern humans
lived alongside the Neanderthal people - and they interbred.
A fast-growing population of humans eventually drove the Neanderthals to
extinction 30,000 years ago, but the benefits of those early dalliances
between the two groups live on.
The Neanderthals, it seems, passed on to humans many of the genes that now
mark our greatly improved immune systems, according to an international
team of researchers led by a Stanford group.
The researchers, deciphering the genome of fossil Neanderthals and modern
humans, report they have found in both a major group of matching immune
system genes - genes the scientists say we inherited from our stocky Ice
Age predecessors.
The same scientists also studied the genes of a different ancient people,
the Denisovans, who were contemporary with the Neanderthals and whose
meager fossils were found in a Siberian cave called Denisova. The
Denisovans, the Stanford scientists said, were likely a "sister group to
the Neanderthals" who apparently bequeathed genes of their immune systems
to modern Melanesians - the people of New Guinea, Fiji and scores of other
islands in the western South Pacific.
In a report published in the journal ScienceExpress on Thursday, Peter
Parham, a Stanford microbiologist and immunologist, describes how he and
22 colleagues from five nations traced the genetic history of the varied
people who originated in Africa and later moved into Europe and the Middle
East. Genomes decipherd
The German anthropologist Svänte Paabo and his colleagues first deciphered
the Neanderthal and Denisovan genomes and showed where and when they
interbred with modern humans.
The fossil record indicates that those ancient pre-human people apparently
left Africa some 400,000 years ago and roamed across Europe and Asia until
modern humans moved into their Eurasian turf from Africa around 85,000
years ago, and quickly replaced them, Parham said.
Homo sapiens overran the Neanderthals from Northern Europe to Spain, and
by 30,000 years ago the Neanderthals were gone. Similarly, humans also
overran the Denisovans in Siberia and they disappeared at about the same
time.
But some of their genes lived on in humans, Parham's team reported. They
were found in modern people in Europe, Asia and Melanesia, but not found
in African people, the researchers said. Bacterial protection
The parts of the modern immune system that come from the Neanderthals and
Denisovans are known as the HLA histocompatibility complex, a group of
protein-creating genes located on chromosome six that help protect humans
against assaults by some bacterial infections and viruses, and the
rejection of tissue transplants.
"All this tells us a lot about human history," Parham said. "We didn't
just replace the Neanderthals and Denisovans, we have retained some of
them in us. There was a lot of diversity in dealing with the pathogens
they faced, and we have that diversity too."
The report is likely to generate some controversy among geneticists.
Montgomery Slatkin, a UC Berkeley geneticist who was on Paabo's team,
commented cautiously.
He called the conclusions "plausible," largely because the HLA genes from
Neanderthals were found in Europeans but not in Africans. As to finding
Denisovan genes in modern Europeans, Slatkin said: "I am less convinced of
this, although their conclusion is not completely implausible."
He was more certain about the finding that the Denisovan immune system
genes exist in modern Melanesians.
"This evidence is the most convincing," Slatkin said. E-mail David Perlman
at dperlman@sfchronicle.com. ----------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright 2011 SF Chronicle

Schedule - Week 1 and 2

WEEK ONE

8/31 Introductions; Syllabus; Definitions

9/2 Early Homo; Evolution and spread of Homo sapiens


WEEK TWO

9/5 No class – Labor Day holiday

9/7 Paleolithic migrations; Population of the planet
DUE: WW Prologue, Introduction to Part One, Chapter 1

9/9 Water, technology & human civilizations
DUE: DGP Chapter 1 The Need for Water in Ancient Societies

Syllabus

HY 007—World History (3 units) Patricia Andrews, MA
Fall 2011 – MWF 8:00 am pandrews@ndnu.edu
http://WorldHistoryFall2011.blogspot.com

Course Summary
This course will survey the history of world civilizations from early man to approximately 1500 using primary source readings and emphasizing cultural and developmental themes.
Texts
Strayer, Robert, Ways of the World
Additional readings as assigned in class
Learning Outcomes
Students will…
1. Demonstrate knowledge of the political, economic, social, religious, intellectual, and artistic experiences of peoples around the world over time; recognize the influence of global forces and identify their connections to local and national developments;
2. Understand how decisions made in the past continue to shape society and political discourse;
3. Demonstrate familiarity with the historical literature and conflicting interpretations of the past;
4. Weigh and interpret evidence and present a sustained argument supported by historical evidence;
5. Demonstrate the ability to effectively communicate historical knowledge and reasoning orally and in writing;
6. Use the tools of social science research – statistical and qualitative – in formulating a research topic, collecting and analyzing evidence, and presenting results.
Requirements
Consistent attendance and reading are essential to college success. In-class quizzes and assignments will assess students’ preparation on a regular basis and will take the place of midterm and final exams.
1) Students will produce a minimum of 32 pages of written work. All formal papers must be submitted in MLA format. A class blog/Reading Journal will be kept on a weekly basis as readings are completed. This will be kept online using blogger.com.
2) Note-taking is an essential academic skill. Students are expected to keep appropriate and effective records of what happens during each class session.
3) Oral communication opportunities develop confidence and skill in public speaking. These will include informal communication in class discussions, impromptu speaking and storytelling opportunities, formal presentations and additional opportunities as assigned in class.
4) Attendance and participation are required.
5) History courses require considerable time spent reading and writing. Please plan your study time accordingly and let me know if you are concerned about falling behind in either of these areas.
Evaluation
A total of 1200 points is possible, broken down into the categories below. Students are encouraged to keep track of their progress on a regular basis throughout the semester.

Exams 2 @ 100 points = 200
Analytical Papers 2 @ 100 points = 200
Class Blog/Reading Journal 1 @ 200
Research Project 1 @ 200 points = 200
Attendance 40 days @ 5 points = 200
Participation 40 days @ 5 points = 200