Neanderthal genes affect susceptibility to Covid-19

Two new studies suggest that the presence of genes passed down to humans from Neanderthals in the past could confer resistance or susceptibility to Covid-19, depending on what set of genes is present.

In recent years it has become clear that there was some measure of interbreeding between humans and Neanderthals, a human subspecies which died out about 40 000 years ago. Neanderthals were found in Europe and Asia and scientists believe they died out because of climate change or disease, with some speculation that they died out due to conflict with humans.

Most humans on Earth, with the exception of people with ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa, have evidence of some Neanderthal genes in their genome.

A new study from Nature shows that a certain set of Neanderthal DNA confers susceptibility to severe Covid-19.

The study, conducted by scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig in Germany found that if one particular ‘string’ of Neanderthal DNA (known as a haplotype) was present in someone, their chances of going to intensive care because of Covid-19 was doubled. People of South Asian descent were most likely to have this genetic presence with 16% of people of European origin having it.

Conversely, another study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that if a different set of Neanderthal DNA was present it conferred some measure of protection. If present, this haplotype reduced susceptibility to severe Covid-19 by 22%. It is found in all human populations, except for people of Sub-Saharan African descent and is present in between 25% and 35% of people of Eurasian descent.

Understanding how the different genetic make-up affects susceptibility to Covid-19 will be an important tool in fighting the disease, although other factors, such as age, weight, sex, and the presence of other diseases (such as diabetes) will still have to be taken into account.

https://dailyfriend.co.za/2021/02/26/neanderthal-genes-affect-susceptibility-to-covid-19/