Natural selection and adaptive traits in the Maniq, a nomadic hunter-gatherer society from Mainland Southeast Asia

Autor(en)

Tobias Herzog, Maximilian Larena, Wibhu Kutanan, Helmut Lukas, Martin Fieder, Helmut Schaschl

Abstrakt

Asia is home to diverse hunter-gatherer populations characterized by significant morphological, anthropological, cultural, and linguistic diversity. Despite their importance in understanding ancestral human subsistence, little is known about the essential genetic adaptations of these groups. This study investigates the evolutionary pressures shaping the genome of the Maniq population, a nomadic hunter-gatherer group inhabiting the rainforests of southern Thailand. Using genome-wide approaches, including iHS, xp-EHH, PBE, and beta statistics, we identified signatures of positive and balancing selection. Genes under positive selection were enriched in pathways related to immunity, metabolic regulation, structural adaptation, cardiovascular performance, and neuromodulatory traits. Several genes associated with the Southeast Asian 'negrito-like' phenotype were also under positive selection. Balancing selection was primarily detected in immune-related genes, particularly within the HLA region, underscoring the critical role of genetic diversity in surviving pathogen-rich environments. Additionally, balancing selection in olfactory receptor genes highlights their importance in environmental sensing and adaptation. These results reveal the intricate interplay of positive and balancing selection in shaping the genetic landscape of the Maniq population and highlight their adaptations to the ecological and lifestyle challenges of life in the rainforest. This study contributes to our understanding of human evolutionary processes in tropical environments and hunter-gatherer societies.

Organisation(en)

Institut für Kultur- und Sozialanthropologie, Department für Evolutionäre Anthropologie

Externe Organisation(en)

Universität Wien, Uppsala University, Naresuan University

Journal

Scientific Reports

Band

15

Seiten

4809

ISSN

2045-2322

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-83657-0

Publikationsdatum

02-2025

Peer-reviewed

Ja

ÖFOS 2012

106014 Genomik, 106036 Populationsgenetik

Schlagwörter

Link zum Portal

https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/de/publications/2548223a-f4f6-4e20-8392-6935ccdf9dbf