Interbreeding between modern humans and evolutionary cousins gave healthy immune system boost to human genome, study finds
Thursday, August 25, 2011 - 14:30
in Biology & Nature
For a few years now, scientists have known that humans and their evolutionary cousins had some casual flings, but now it appears that these liaisons led to a more meaningful relationship. Interbreeding between modern humans and close relatives -- including Neanderthals and the recently discovered Denisovans -- has endowed some human gene pools with beneficial versions of immune system genes, researchers report in a new study.