Scientists Sequence 400,000-Year-Old Homo erectus Proteins, Revealing Links to Denisovans and Modern Humans
Updated
Updated · Livescience.com · May 13
Scientists Sequence 400,000-Year-Old Homo erectus Proteins, Revealing Links to Denisovans and Modern Humans
11 articles · Updated · Livescience.com · May 13
Six Homo erectus fossils from three Chinese sites yielded 11 enamel proteins, giving researchers the first genetic material ever sequenced from the species.
Two amino-acid variants drove the finding: one appeared only in all six H. erectus individuals, while another was shared with Denisovans and later reached some modern humans through interbreeding.
The Nature study used paleoproteomics because no sequenced H. erectus DNA exists; proteins survive longer than DNA and can probe far older fossils.
The results add evidence that human groups were mixing by 400,000 years ago, but researchers say they still cannot pin down exactly how H. erectus, Denisovans and Homo sapiens were related.
Proteins in ancient teeth rewrote our history. What secrets are still locked inside other fossils?
What 'ghost' DNA from unknown ancient relatives might modern humans still carry today?
If our ancestors regularly interbred with other hominins, what truly defines a human species?
Ancient Enamel Proteins Reveal Complex Interbreeding and Evolutionary History of Homo erectus in East Asia
Overview
A major breakthrough in human evolution research comes from the study of enamel proteins found in six Homo erectus specimens from China. By analyzing these ancient proteins, scientists gain a unique view into the biology and evolutionary history of Homo erectus, including insights into their diet, health, and genetic relationships. This approach, known as paleoproteomics, is transforming our understanding of ancient populations because proteins can survive for millions of years, offering information that DNA cannot always provide. These discoveries are adding an important new chapter to the story of human origins and dispersal in East Asia.