{
  "id": 10406852,
  "title": "Denisovan introgression left differential selection regimes in Humans and Neanderthals on the SLC30A9 gene",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/28/denisovan-introgression-left-differential-selection-regimes-in-humans",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-09-28T00:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "bioRxiv",
    "slug": "biorxiv",
    "url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.23.753770v1?rss=1"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Recent genetic studies have revealed fascinating insights into the evolutionary history of humans, Neanderthals, and Denisovans. Researchers have focused on the SLC30A9 gene, which plays a crucial role in zinc transport. A specific single-nucleotide polymorphism, rs1047626, has been observed to undergo positive selection in several non-African human populations. This alteration in the gene led to a non-synonymous substitution, which is a change in a single DNA nucleotide that results in a change in the protein sequence.\n\nThe striking similarity between the SLC30A9 haplotype found in various modern human populations and a Denisovan individual has led to the hypothesis of adaptive introgression - the introduction of genetic material from a different species into a population. However, alternative explanations such as ancient human variation and the precise archaic source (Neanderthal or Denisovan) remained unclear.\n\nTo unravel the complex evolution of the SLC30A9 gene, researchers employed Approximate Bayesian Computation (ABC) algorithms combined with machine learning techniques. These algorithms allowed them to model different evolutionary scenarios using forward-in-time simulations. The results of their analysis suggest that the most plausible scenario is that the rs1047626 polymorphism originated in Denisovans.\n\nInterestingly, the allele carrying the rs1047626 polymorphism likely first introgressed into Neanderthals before being passed on to non-African modern humans. Moreover, the derived allele frequency for rs1047626 in several African populations is consistent with back-to-Africa migrations, indicating that the genetic material traveled back to Africa at some point.\n\nThe researchers also conducted ABC analyses to determine the selection coefficient, which measures the strength of natural selection acting on a particular gene variant. They found that strong positive selection occurred in East Asian populations and other out-of-Africa populations. In contrast, the selection coefficient in Neanderthal populations was probably neutral or slightly deleterious, suggesting that the Denisovan introgression did not have a significant positive impact on Neanderthals.",
  "summary": "Signals of positive selection around the SLC30A9 gene have been reported in human populations outside Africa. Selection likely acted on a highly differentiated single-nucleotide polymorphism, rs1047626, leading to a non-synonymous substitution in the encoded zinc transporter. Because of the striking similarity between the putatively selected SLC30A9 haplotype observed in several current human…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}