Pervasive Hitchhiking in Humans
Author Information
Author(s): Cai James J., Macpherson J. Michael, Sella Guy, Petrov Dmitri A.
Primary Institution: Stanford University
Hypothesis
Is adaptation frequent in the human genome compared to other species?
Conclusion
Natural selection at both coding and regulatory sites significantly reduces neutral polymorphism in the human genome.
Supporting Evidence
- Neutral polymorphism is lower in regions of lower recombination.
- Higher functional density correlates with lower levels of neutral polymorphism.
- The effects of natural selection at linked sites cannot be ignored.
Takeaway
This study found that natural selection affects how much genetic variation we see in humans, especially in areas of the genome that are important for function.
Methodology
The study analyzed patterns of neutral polymorphism in humans using two genome-wide SNP datasets.
Potential Biases
Potential biases due to demographic history and SNP ascertainment methods.
Limitations
The study may be affected by ascertainment biases in SNP discovery.
Participant Demographics
Individuals of mixed ancestry.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.001
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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