Ancient Eastern Arabias Developed Malaria Resistance, DNA Study Shows

A new study analyzing ancient DNA reveals adaptation to malaria in Eastern Arabia around the advent of agriculture, offering insights into human history and disease progression.

• A groundbreaking study reveals ancient Eastern Arabians developed resistance to malaria around 5,000 years ago, coinciding with the advent of agriculture.
• The study analyzed DNA from four individuals from Tylos-period Bahrain, identifying the malaria-protective G6PD Mediterranean mutation in three samples.
• This adaptation suggests ancient populations in the region may have been protected against malaria, a disease historically endemic in Eastern Arabia.
• Researchers from international institutions collaborated on this first study of ancient genomes from Eastern Arabia, providing insights into human history and disease progression.
• The findings also shed light on the genetic ancestry of Tylos-period inhabitants, linking them to ancient groups from Anatolia, the Levant, and Caucasus/Iran.

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