Highlight: Ancient Human Polymorphisms Linked to Modern-Day Health Concerns for Native Americans

摘要

Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are essential for human brain development and immunity. Although they can be obtained by consuming certain foods, especially seafood, the largest dietary source of PUFAs is plant oils. However, plant-derived PUFAs are shorter and must be converted into longer chains by enzymes known as fatty acid desaturases (FADS). Research over the last decade has revealed that humans vary in the efficiency of their FADS enzymes, and this can be attributed in large part to variation in the genes encoding these enzymes. In a new study in the current issue of Genome Biology and Evolution entitled “Evolution of hominin polyunsaturated fatty acid metabolism: from Africa to the New World,” a group of researchers led by Timothy O’Connor at the University of Maryland provides an in-depth look at the history of these genes in human populations, with particular relevance for the health of present-day Native Americans (Harris et al. 2019).