Convergent evolution of complex adaptive traits modulates angiogenesis in high-altitude Andean and Himalayan human populations
Convergent adaptations represent paradigmatic examples of the capacity of natural selection to influence organisms' biology. However, the possibility to investigate the genetic determinants underpinning convergent complex adaptive traits has been offered only recently by methods for inferring polygenic adaptations from genomic data. Relying on this approach, we demonstrate how high-altitude Andean human groups experienced pervasive selective events at angiogenic pathways, which resemble those previously attested for Himalayan populations despite partial convergence at the single-gene level was observed. This provides additional evidence for the drivers of convergent evolution of enhanced blood perfusion in populations exposed to hypobaric hypoxia for thousands of years.
Authors
- Marta Alberti (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8011-9586)
- Davide Pettener (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1068-2466)
- Paolo Abondio (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9626-8495)
- Paolo Garagnani (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4161-3626)
- Luca Natali (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4521-104X)
- Claudia Ojeda‐Granados (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9734-558X)
- Marco Sazzini (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5382-7827)
- Massimo Izzi
- Guido Alberto Gnecchi‐Ruscone (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6490-8101)
- Agnese Dezi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6032-1653)
- Angela Corcelli (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9658-8520)
- Donata Luiselli (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2105-2478)
- Stefania Sarno (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9673-3281)
- Giorgio Marinelli
- Sara De Fanti (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5482-8215)
- Aina Rill (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9885-0705)
- Davide Peluzzi
- Phurba T Sherpa
- Giulia Ferraretti
- Massimiliano Tiriticco
- Paolo Cocco
- Kyra Nancie Smith (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0008-0702-9136)
- Marco Di Marcello
Institutions
- University of Rome Tor Vergata (IT)
- University of Catania (IT)
- Senckenberg Centre for Human Evolution and Palaeoenvironment (DE)
- Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute (ES)
- Explora (Italy) (IT)
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology (DE)
- Azienda USL di Bologna (IT)
- Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna (IT)
- Istituti di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IT)
- University of Bari Aldo Moro (IT)
- University of Bologna (IT)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Communications Biology
- Published
- 2025-03-06
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-025-07813-6
- Citations
- 3
- Primary Topic
- High Altitude and Hypoxia
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 5.45