Chimpanzees and Genetic Adaptations – Potential Explanations for Disease Transmission/Resistance - Srilakshmi Venkatesan

 Chimpanzees and Genetic Adaptations – Potential Explanations for Disease Transmission/Resistance: 

In a recent study published in Jan. 2025, there were findings that suggested genetic adaptations within Chimpanzees being similar to human adaptations towards an environment. To study the phenomenon, researchers examined fecal samples and utilized computational biology techniques to examine the DNA of chimpanzees. One of their main findings was discovering genes that resembled human malaria resistance genes.  

Examining the exomes/protein coding regions of 822 wild chimpanzees across 30 different populations that varied in geographical and ecological ranges, the work looked at genetic information across different local populations. From there, they identified different genetic variants that seemed to be more common among certain regions.  

It was found that the genes GYPA and HBB were found to be much more prevalent among species that lived in forest areas. These forest areas often carry much greater rates of pathogens, meaning that this is likely evidence of genetic adaptation to protect against diseases. These genes are responsible for resistance to malaria and sickle cell anemia.  



Furthermore, the fact that these genes resemble human genes suggests that mechanisms for adaptation may be similar among human populations and primate populations, also providing greater evidence that these primates are quite adaptive to their environment. However, it also does suggest that pathways for resistance to certain pathogens may be limited, as both humans and primate populations evolved similar adaptation mechanisms. 

Interestingly, the author also noted that close genetic similarity between humans and primate population may explain how disease can be transmitted across species. Therefore, understanding these similarities, it may be helpful to prevent disease in both primate populations and human populations, being mutually beneficial. This could contribute to primate conservation and public health.  

The findings mirror the discussions in class relevant to disease, how it contributes to primate species being endangered and the transmission across species that has become detrimental to primate populations. Furthermore, in the Chapman and Keesing articles we read, their discussion from this table of diseases transmitted/shared between humans and primates, further provides evidence for the close genetic adaptive similarity within disease between humans and primate populations.  


Links/Resources:
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/01/250109141134.htm
https://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2025/jan/chimpanzees-are-genetically-adapted-local-habitats-and-infections-such-malaria
https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adn7954
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/evan.20068


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Fortress Conservation and Displament of Indigenous People in Congol

Image
James Peng Professor Joseph Feldblum Fortress Conservation and the Displacement of Indigenous People The eastern lowland gorillas (Gorilla beringei graueri) also known as Grauer's gorillas are the largest living primates. For decades, the relationship between the indigenous Batwa people and the critically endangered Grauer’s gorillas in DRC’s Kahuzi-Biega National Park has been debated. A recent study published in the journal World Development showed that armed conflicts and civil unrest in the region rather than the activities of the indigenous Batwa people have negatively impacted the population of the gorillas in the park.  Gorillas are a tourist attraction at the  Kahuzi-Biega  National Park In the 1970s, 6,000 Batwa people were forcibly evicted from the park as part of a government-led conservation plan. This left many impoverished, marginalized, and even forced to live in roadside squatter camps. This action has been justified under the logic of fortress conser...
Read more

Davinder Josephson Blog 1 - Gorilla Doctors

Image
Davinder Josephson Dr. Feldblum Primate Conservation 13 February 2025 Gorilla Doctors Image by Guerrero De la Luz via Pexels A recent study published by the Public Library of Science revealed incredible self-medicating behavior within gorilla populations in Moukalaba-Doudou National Park, Gabon. For decades, scientists have hypothesized why non-human primates are able to resist, endure, and carry dangerous viruses that would kill humans, such as yellow fever and monkey pox, without becoming severely ill. Many speculate that primates have naturally heighted immune systems that prevent such diseases from becoming deadly, while others suggest that long-term exposure to these viruses has protected primate populations.  The study, conducted by 13 primate researchers, worked to collaborate with the local indigenous community in Gabon, the Vingu people, in order to determine similarities in medicinal plant consumption between local gorilla and human populations. The scientists tested the ...
Read more

Charlie Cooper Blog 1 - Dancing gibbons

Image
 Charlie Cooper 2/10/25 Gibbons: Dance to Advance Already, Gibbons are known for their morning singing frenzies and crazy tree swinging uproars. Now, a 2024 study from Camille Coye and others highlights a new form of communication that has been observed in gibbons. Although primarily observed in captivity, gibbons perform a "robot" like dance move that provides some intel into their communication methods. The dance has been exclusively observed in sexually mature female gibbons, indicating it's role in sexual selection (hence the title "Dance to Advance").  While it is easy to feel quite distant from the world of gibbons, they are not so different from ourselves. The gibbons performing this dance are noted to be directing it at another individual, sometimes even at humans. They often check to see if anybody is watching their performance, indicating the true intention of their actions. While this seems so incredibly human-like, the study emphasizes that human dan...
Read more