COM.on C.A.3:e14/114-120     Online published on Dec.30, 2009.
doi:10.4236/coca.2009.31014
ARGUMENT
Discussion on the Neanderthals' Genetic Contribution to the Formation of Modern Humans

LIU Shiwei

School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433 China

ABSTRACT: While acknowledging the African origin of the modern Europeans, anthropologists are still disputing whether Neanderthals have any genetic contribution to modern humans. This paper discussed this topic following the mechanisms of evolution. By reviewing anthropological researches over the years, and discussing the possibility of gene flow and the maintenance of genetic contribution, this paper concluded that that Neanderthals were unlikely to have contributed to the formation of modern humans, although the two species have coexisted for thousands of years.

Key words: Neanderthal; Modern human; Gene flow; Genetic contribution; Mechanisms of evolution; Population

Recieved: Nov.11, 2009   Accepted: Dec. 22,2009  Corresponding: 08300700054@fudan.edu.cn


《现代人类学通讯》第三卷e14篇 第114-120页  2009年12月30日网上发行

热点争议

尼安德特人对现代欧洲人是否有遗传贡献

刘世伟

复旦大学生命科学学院生物科学系,上海 200433

摘要:欧洲现代人的非洲起源说已经成为尼安德特人与现代人关系讨论中的主流学说,但对于现代人的形成是否存在尼人遗传贡献这一问题仍存在争论。本文回顾了近些年来相关的一些分子生物学研究和化石研究,并依据这些研究成果或实验现象,尝试结合进化机制来讨论遗传贡献的问题。依据群体遗传学、中性学说和间断平衡论的相关理论,按照形成遗传贡献的一般顺序依次讨论了①尼安德特人与现代人之间的基因交流,②基因交流形成遗传贡献这两个过程。由于问题本身的现实意义性,在讨论第二个过程时对“基因上贡献的延续”的可能情形建立了四种模型。而通过回顾和讨论,发现尽管尼人与现代人长时期共存过,但形成遗传贡献的可能性并不大。

关键词尼安德特人;现代人;基因交流;遗传贡献;进化机制;群体

 

收稿日期:2009年11月11日  修回日期:2009年12月22日 联系人:刘世伟 08300700054@fudan.edu.cn


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