Hard to believe in a land where one-third of women carry other human genes

Research conducted by the Max Planck Evolutionary Anthropology Institute (Germany) and the Karrolinska Institute (Sweden) showed that up to one-third of European women carry a genetic variation of another human being, Neanderthals.

Neanderthanls - (graphic image from Gorodenkoff)

The Neanderthals became extinct more than 30,000 years ago, and are a different species from our Homo sapiens (intelligent people, modern humans) , though of the same genus. When emigrating from Africa and spreading around the world in search of "promised land ", our Homo sapiens had the opportunity to interact with many other human beings who had not yet disappeared from the earth. Many heterosexual marriages have occurred, with the most common in Europe being marriages with Neanderthals.

A progesterone receptor form of ancestors other than the Neanderthals has stayed with us longer and is more common than previously thought. According to the authors, up to 29% of European women carry 1 copy of the Neanderthals receptor, while 3% carry 3 copies.

"The rate of women inheriting this gene variant is 10 times greater than most other Neanderthals gene variants," said Dr. Hugo Zeberg, member of the research team.

This bizarre gift from the ancient mankind makes women particularly fertile : they are more likely to have more children, have fewer miscarriages, less frequent bleeding problems during early pregnancy. pregnant with "purebred" women H omo sapiens.

The scientists plan to apply the new findings in creating a way to make "purebred" Homo sapiens women as sensitive to progesterone as women with the Neanderthals gene; thereby helping them have a favorable pregnancy.

The research has just been published in the scientific journal Molecular Biology and Evolution.