The Neanderthal Genome project and beyond Authors Carles Lalueza-Fox Abstract A consensus regarding a scientific definition of our own species does not exist. Genomic analyses from different human populations show an inter-individual variation that is higher than previously expected. Therefore, it will be difficult, if not impossible, to put a limit on this variation from the study of contemporary populations exclusively. With the advent of new ultrasequencing technologies, we are now able to retrieve complete genomes from extinct species, such as mammoths and Neanderthals. The recently completed Neanderthal genome will provide us with a close external evolutionary reference, helping us to identify those genetic variants shared with Neanderthals and those present in modern humans alone. This, in turn, will allow us to generate an objective definition of our own species, although it will probably be based on a complex list of genetic variants in some one hundred genes. Downloads Text complet (Català) Published 2010-06-21 Issue 5-2 Section Celebration of the Darwin Year 2009 License This work is subject, unless the contrary is indicated in the text, the photographs or in other illustrations, to an Attribution —Non-Commercial— No Derivative Works 3.0 Creative Commons License, the full text of which can be consulted at http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/. You are free to share, copy, distribute and transmit the work provided that the author is credited and reuse of the material is restricted to non-commercial purposes only and that no derivative works are created from the original material.
