Surprise after decoding the genome of 2 people who lived 10,000 years ago

A rock drawing at the Oakhurst Cave area in South Africa, which contains traces of people who lived 1,300 - 10,000 years ago.

PHOTO: Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology

Researchers have reconstructed the oldest human genome ever found in South Africa, from two people who lived about 10,000 years ago, providing a better understanding of human settlement there, AFP reported on September 22, citing a study author.

Victoria Gibbon, professor of biological anthropology at the University of Cape Town (UCT-South Africa), said the genetic sequence belonged to a man and a woman whose remains were found in a cave near George, a coastal town about 370 km east of Cape Town.

The two latest genomes are among 13 sequences reconstructed from people whose remains were found at Oakhurst Cave. Previously, the oldest genomes reconstructed from the site dated back about 2,000 years.

Surprisingly, the oldest genomes were genetically similar to those of the San and Khoekhoe people living in the same area today.

"Similar studies from Europe have revealed a history of large-scale genetic change due to human movements over the past 10,000 years. These new results from southern Africa are quite different and show a long history of relative genetic stability," said Joscha Gretzinger of the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Germany, who led the research team.

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Current DNA data suggests this only changed around 1,200 years ago, when newcomers brought new herding, agriculture , and languages to the region and began interacting with local hunter-gatherer groups.

While some of the world ’s earliest evidence of modern humans can be found in southern Africa, they tend to be poorly preserved, says Gibbon. Newer technology has made it possible to retrieve this DNA.

Unlike in Europe and Asia, where the genomes of thousands of people have been reconstructed, fewer than 24 ancient genomes have been recovered from southern Africa, namely from Botswana, South Africa and Zambia.

“Sites like this are rare in South Africa and the Oakhurst site has provided a better understanding of the relationships and movements of local people over nearly 9,000 years,” said Ms Gibbon.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/bat-ngo-sau-khi-giai-ma-bo-gien-cua-2-nguoi-song-cach-day-10000-nam-18524092221012215.htm