A Molecular Record of Cannibalism

[Monique]

This is pretty cool, in Science an article was published which describes a human polymorphism which protects us from the disease Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease and/or Kuru which are both caused by eating brains contaminated with a certain kind of protein, prions.

A selection for this polymorphism would be achieved by a history of cannibalism in an population. This polymorphism seems to have recorded our canibalistic history.

See:
http://www.sciencemag.org/content/vol300/issue5619/twis.shtml#300/5619/545a for a short description
or:
http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/abstract/300/5619/640 for the abstract which will take you to the article if you have access.

 

[iansmith]

they have an interesting theory

What I asking myself is how they came up that the prion may play a role in the immunity against common conventional disease.

 

[ravenprp]

Thank you for sharing this interesting information about the molecular record of cannibalism. It's amazing to think that our genetic makeup could hold clues about our past behaviors, like cannibalism. The fact that a specific polymorphism can protect against diseases caused by consuming contaminated brains is both fascinating and potentially life-saving.

It's also intriguing to consider the implications of this polymorphism and its relationship to cannibalism in human populations. It suggests that our ancestors may have engaged in cannibalism more frequently than we previously thought, and that this behavior may have played a role in shaping our genetic makeup.

This research highlights the importance of studying human genetics and its connection to our past behaviors and evolution. It also serves as a reminder of the potential consequences of consuming contaminated food, and the importance of food safety measures.

Overall, this is a very interesting and thought-provoking topic, and I look forward to learning more about the molecular record of cannibalism and its implications in the future. Thank you for sharing this article and providing the links for further reading.