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Genetic studies on Andamanese reveals new ancestor of humans
Kolkata:Genomic analysis of the Jarawas and Onge tribes of the Andaman and Nicobar islands has yielded “strong” evidence of existence of a new ancestor of humans, according to an international team of researchers.
In addition, the scientists have also shed light on the mystery of the short height of the Andamanese ethnic tribes.
“People have speculated that there could be more ancestors to the human and these ancestors are offshoots of the Heidelberg man,” Partha Majumder, director National Institute of Biomedical Genomics (NIBMG), told IANS.
Neanderthals, Denisovans, and modern humans are all considered to have descended from Homo heidelbergensis (the Heidelberg man) that appeared around 600,000 years ago in Ethiopia.
“What we have been able to show is that there is strong possibility that there is at least one more ancestor and we have found the segments of this new ancestor, not found in either the Neanderthal or the Denisovan,” Majumder said.
Published in the Nature Genetics journal on July 25, the work is a collaborative effort between the NIBMG Kalyani, an autonomous institution of India’s Department of Biotechnology, and Institute of Evolutionary Biology (IBE), a joint centre of Pompeu Fabra University (UPF) and the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC).
Majumder stressed: “Remains of this extinct hominid have not yet been recovered, but our results provide definitive evidence that Homo heidelbergensis had given rise to multiple lineages, not just the Neanderthal and the Denisovan.”
“And we have dated the segments of the genome and it goes back to about 40,000 years ago. That’s the third group of ancestors from whom we have descended.”
The current view of human evolution is that about 2 million years ago Homo erectus evolved in Africa. This species gave rise to a new species – Homo heidelbergensis. About 400,000 years ago, Homo heidelbergensis came out of Africa, and split into two lineages.
One of these lineages gave rise to Neanderthals after moving to Europe from Africa, through the Middle East. The other lineage gave rise to the Denisovans (a finger bone of this species was recovered from the Denisova cave in Russia).
Homo heidelbergensis also evolved into Homo sapiens in Africa about 200,000 years ago. Modern humans, Homo sapiens sapiens, evolved in Africa about 80,000 years ago.
“When comparing the DNA sequences of the Jarawas and the Onges with those of Neanderthals and Denisovans, we have found some notable differences. By exploring various possibilities that could have given rise to these differences, we have concluded that these DNA fragments belong to an extinct hominid that shares a common ancestor with the Neanderthal and the Denisovan but has a different history.”
Further, the team sought to understand and identify the ancestral components in the genomes of the Andamanese by sequencing whole genomes of 60 individuals drawn from a carefully sampled set of diverse ethnic groups of mainland India and 10 Jarawas and Onges.
“For comparative purposes and for drawing more robust inferences, we also downloaded data available in the public domain pertaining to diverse human groups as also to primates. We have concluded that natural selection has favoured the retention of short height among the Jarawas and Onges,” Majumder said.
The other authors of the paper are Mayukh Mondal (lead author), F. Casals, H. Zheng, GM Dall’Olio, M Pybus, Netea MG, D Comas, H Laayouni, Li Q, and J Bertranpetit.A
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Dr. Abhishek Verma Dedicates a Shelter in Memory of His Mother, Veena Verma, at KGMU; Inaugurated by Daughter Nicolle Verma
World-renowned business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has supported Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission. In memory of his mother, Late Veena Verma, who was a 3 term Rajya Sabha MP.
Dr. Verma dedicated a state-of-the-art free permanent shelter for the attendants of patients at KGMU Medical University, Lucknow, under the aegis of Vijay Shree Foundation. His daughter, Nicolle Verma, inaugurated the shelter.
During the event, Foodman Vishal Singh honored Nicolle Verma by presenting her with a memento. Mrs. Nidhi Sharma and Avantika Yadav, associated with the organization, welcomed her with garlands. Following this, Nicolle Verma distributed essential items to the attendants and also handed out fruits. She became emotional remembering her grandmother on her birth anniversary.
On this occasion, she also inaugurated the “Veena Verma Sevalaya” in memory of her grandmother, Veena Verma, to serve the attendants. She expressed, “I feel proud that my family is engaged in nation-building as well as social service. Today, in collaboration with Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh Ji, I feel immensely proud to dedicate this shelter for the poor, helpless, and needy attendants of patients battling serious illnesses like cancer. I am honored to be associated with the Hunger-Free World Mission for humanity.”
Inspired by the continuous humanitarian service provided by Vijay Shree Foundation over the past 17 years, Nicolle Verma donated 10 lakh rupees to support the cause. The purpose of this donation is to ensure that services continue for the needy attendants of patients suffering from severe illnesses in hospitals, as facilitated by Foodman Vishal Singh.
It is noteworthy that Dr. Abhishek Verma’s family has a legacy of public and philanthropic service. They are helping millions to carry forward the values and service work of their parents. On the occasion of his mother’s birth anniversary, Dr. Abhishek Verma dedicated this state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College to serve the attendants of patients through the Vijay Shree Foundation.
Supporting Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission, Dr. Abhishek Verma assured that he would continually support keeping this flame of humanity alive. He also promised to assist in providing medicines to the helpless patients.
Continuing her grandmother’s legacy of service, Nicolle Verma personally served food to the needy patients and attendants. She said, “It is our good fortune to have received the joy of doing this noble work today through Foodman Vishal Singh. I have taken another step forward in carrying my family’s values and cooperation by joining hands with the Vijay Shree Foundation. My father taught me to serve and help the needy, and I feel happy when I bring a smile to someone’s face.”
On the birth anniversary of the late Veena Verma, the event organizer, Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh, said, “We feel proud and happy that Dr. Abhishek Verma, a globally renowned business tycoon, has extended his support to uplift our country from the hunger index. Today, on his mother’s birth anniversary, he inaugurated a state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College, which will always be helpful for the needy attendants of patients. It is a pleasure for me and the organization to receive the affection of Mr. Verma.”
The event was attended by General Manager Verma Family Office Hemant Garg, Sonu Rajput, and the organization’s volunteers, including Sandeep Singh, Parmeshwar Ji, Prashant Rao Gautam, Balram Singh, Ramesh Chaudhary, Suman, Jeetu, Anil, Suraj, Vinay, Manish Bhadauria, Manas Mehrotra, Vivek, Apurv, Happy, and others.
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