Scientists reveal how Black Death may have influenced evolution of human genes
2 years, 2 months ago

Scientists reveal how Black Death may have influenced evolution of human genes

The Independent  

The best of Voices delivered to your inbox every week - from controversial columns to expert analysis Sign up for our free weekly Voices newsletter for expert opinion and columns Sign up to our free weekly Voices newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Genes that offered protection against the Black Death pandemic more than 700 years ago are today associated with an increased susceptibility to autoimmune diseases such as Crohn’s and rheumatoid arthritis, according to DNA analysis. Luis Barreiro, professor of genetic medicine at the University of Chicago Medical Center in the US and co-senior author on the study, said: “This is, to my knowledge, the first demonstration that indeed, the Black Death was an important selective pressure to the evolution of the human immune system.” One of the worst plagues in history, the Black Death arrived on the shores of Europe in 1347. It meant those who survived the Black Death were able to pass on this “good” ERAP2 gene variant to their children. Further analysis revealed that while ERAP2 is protective against the Black Death, in modern populations, it is associated with an increased susceptibility to autoimmune diseases, such as Crohn’s disease and rheumatoid arthritis.

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Gene helped overcome the Black Death, may put us at risk now
2 years, 1 month ago

Gene helped overcome the Black Death, may put us at risk now

The Hindu  

The second biggest pandemic of plague, the Black Death, wiped out almost half the population of Europe and North Africa. Having searched for genetic adaptation related to the plague, scientists found that the Black Death was a powerful selection force that altered genetic diversity associated with the immune system. The study, which comprised researchers from McMaster University, the University of …

The Black Death is still affecting the human immune system
2 years, 2 months ago

The Black Death is still affecting the human immune system

CNN  

Sign up for CNN’s Wonder Theory science newsletter. CNN — The Black Death, the world’s most devastating plague outbreak, killed half of medieval Europe’s population in the space of seven years in the 14th century, shifting the course of human history. Analysis of centuries-old DNA from both victims and survivors of the Black Death has identified key genetic differences that …

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