Greenlandic Inuit show genetic signatures of diet and climate adaptation

• Published in: Science
• Main Authors: Fumagalli, Matteo, Moltke, Ida, Grarup, Niels, Racimo, Fernando, Bjerregaard, Peter, Jørgensen, Marit E., Korneliussen, Thorfinn S., Gerbault, Pascale, Skotte, Line, Linneberg, Allan, Christensen, Cramer, Brandslund, Ivan, Jørgensen, Torben, Huerta-Sánchez, Emilia, Schmidt, Erik B., Pedersen, Oluf, Hansen, Torben, Albrechtsen, Anders, Nielsen, Rasmus
• Other Authors: NIH, Villum Foundation, Leverhulme Programme, Karen Elise Jensen's Foundation, Danish Council for Independent Research, Human Frontiers in Science Program Organization, Steno Diabetes Center, NunaFonden, Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) 2015
• Subjects: Multidisciplinary; Greenland; greenlander*; greenlandic; inuit
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.aab2319; https://www.science.org/doi/pdf/10.1126/science.aab2319

Greenlanders' genomes signal a fatty diet The evolutionary consequences of inhabiting a challenging environment can be seen within the genomes of Greenland Inuit. Fumagalli et al. have found signs of selection for genetic variants in fat metabolism, not just for promoting heat-producing brown fat cells but also for coping with the large amounts of polyunsaturated fatty acids found in their seafood diet (see the Perspective by Tishkoff). Genes under selection in these populations have a strong effect on height and weight of up to 2 cm and 4 kg, respectively, as well as a protective effect on cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Science , this issue p. 1343 see also p. 1282