Balancing Selection on the LMBR1 Gene in Humans
Author Information
Author(s): He Fang, Wu Dong-Dong, Kong Qing-Peng, Zhang Ya-Ping
Primary Institution: State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
Hypothesis
Is the intron 5 of the LMBR1 gene subject to balancing selection during human evolution?
Conclusion
The intron 5 of LMBR1 was presumably subject to balancing selection during the evolution of modern humans.
Supporting Evidence
- The study found a significant deviation of Tajima's D statistics from neutrality.
- Data from HapMap demonstrated extended linkage disequilibrium in the region.
- There was a significantly low degree of genetic differentiation among human populations.
Takeaway
Scientists studied a part of a gene called LMBR1 in 41 people from East Asia and found that it might have been kept the same over time because it helps with important body functions.
Methodology
Sequenced a region of the LMBR1 gene intron 5 in 41 East Asian individuals and analyzed genetic variation.
Limitations
The nucleotide diversity is low in the region, which is not usually observed in genes under balancing selection.
Participant Demographics
41 unrelated East Asian individuals, including 19 Han Chinese, 15 minorities of China, five Thais, 1 Filipino, and 1 Lao.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p>0.1
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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