Balancing selection at the prion protein gene consistent with prehistoric kurulike epidemics.
Science
; 300(5619): 640-3, 2003 Apr 25.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-12690204
ABSTRACT
Kuru is an acquired prion disease largely restricted to the Fore linguistic group of the Papua New Guinea Highlands, which was transmitted during endocannibalistic feasts. Heterozygosity for a common polymorphism in the human prion protein gene (PRNP) confers relative resistance to prion diseases. Elderly survivors of the kuru epidemic, who had multiple exposures at mortuary feasts, are, in marked contrast to younger unexposed Fore, predominantly PRNP 129 heterozygotes. Kuru imposed strong balancing selection on the Fore, essentially eliminating PRNP 129 homozygotes. Worldwide PRNP haplotype diversity and coding allele frequencies suggest that strong balancing selection at this locus occurred during the evolution of modern humans.
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Bases de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Polimorfismo Genético
/
Selección Genética
/
Etnicidad
/
Brotes de Enfermedades
/
Proteínas PrPC
/
Kuru
Límite:
Adult
/
Animals
/
Child
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
/
Middle aged
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Science
Año:
2003
Tipo del documento:
Article
País de afiliación:
Reino Unido