DistantNews
Andean 'Secret Highway' to Health: How Potatoes Shaped Human Genes
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia /Health & Science

Andean 'Secret Highway' to Health: How Potatoes Shaped Human Genes

From Asharq Al-Awsat · (38m ago) English Positive tone

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • Indigenous peoples in the Andes domesticated potatoes 6,000 to 10,000 years ago, leading to genetic adaptations in their descendants.
  • Genomic research shows Quechua speakers in Peru have an average of 10 copies of the AMY1 gene, involved in starch digestion, which is more than any other known population.
  • This genetic fortification, linked to potato domestication, highlights how culture and diet can shape human biology and evolution.

The ancient peoples of the Andes, through their pioneering domestication of the potato thousands of years ago, have left an indelible mark not only on global cuisine but also on human biology. This remarkable tuber, a staple rich in nutrients, became central to their diet, and in turn, spurred fascinating genetic adaptations that persist today in their descendants, the Quechua speakers of Peru.

It is a wonderful case of culture shaping biology.

— Omer GokcumenEvolutionary and anthropological geneticist at the University at Buffalo, commenting on the study's findings.

New genomic research, as reported, illuminates this evolutionary dance. It reveals that these descendants of the Inca Empire possess an extraordinary number of copies of the AMY1 gene – the gene responsible for digesting starch. Averaging 10 copies, they surpass any other known population globally. This genetic fortification appears to have coincided precisely with the advent of potato domestication, demonstrating a powerful link between cultural practices and biological evolution.

This highlights the importance of dietary adaptation in human evolutionary history, with implications for metabolism, health and the impact of domestication events on human biology.

— Abigail BighamUCLA anthropological geneticist and senior author of the study, explaining the significance of the research.

As evolutionary geneticist Omer Gokcumen aptly puts it, this is a "wonderful case of culture shaping biology." It underscores the profound impact of dietary adaptation on human evolution, influencing metabolism and health. The study, analyzing data from thousands of individuals across diverse populations, found that individuals with more AMY1 copies may have been better equipped to process starch-rich foods like potatoes. This advantage likely led to greater reproductive success over generations, explaining the prevalence of this genetic trait among the Andean populations. This research offers a compelling glimpse into how our ancestors' choices directly sculpted our genetic makeup.

Therefore, one hypothesis is that people with more copies of AMY1 may have been better able to process starch-rich foods, including potatoes. Individuals who were born with the higher copies of AMY1 may have had an advantage as compared to individuals who did not have it, and left more descendants over generations. Over time, this could explain why the genetic version linked to high AMY1 copy number became more common i

— Luane LandauUniversity at Buffalo doctoral student and study co-lead author, hypothesizing on the evolutionary advantage of increased AMY1 gene copies.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Asharq Al-Awsat in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog