Metabolic adaptations reflect increased dependence on an aquatic diet in the Mesolithic Neolithic transition of Eastern Europe
Date
2023
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Tartu Ülikool
Abstract
Changes in environment and lifestyle have shaped the evolution of human metabolism in
unknown ways. In this thesis, genetic information from human remains (aDNA) was
combined with estimates of the effect of genetic variants on selected metabolic traits from a
genome-wide association study (GWAS) in order to calculate polygenic scores (PGS) that
could be compared between populations in different environments and time periods.
Analysis of ancient populations showed evident signs of selection among hunter-gatherers. A
hypothesis is proposed about its connection with changes in lifestyle based on
archaeological and biochemical evidence.
Description
Keywords
ancient DNA, metabolites, polygenic score, Mesolithic, Neolithic, aquatic diet