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Using DNA extracted from a finger bone found in Denisova Cave in southern Siberia, we have sequenced the genome of an archaic hominin to about 1.9-fold coverage. This individual is from a group that shares a common origin with Neanderthals. This population was not involved in the putative gene flow from Neanderthals into Eurasians; however, the data suggest that it contributed 4–6% of its genetic material to the genomes of present-day Melanesians. We designate this hominin population ‘Denisovans’ and suggest that it may have been widespread in Asia during the Late Pleistocene epoch. A tooth found in Denisova Cave carries a mitochondrial genome highly similar to that of the finger bone. This tooth shares no derived morphological features with Neanderthals or modern humans, further indicating that Denisovans have an evolutionary history distinct from Neanderthals and modern humans.
If the Denisovans did indeed have a range spreading from Siberia to South Asia, they must have been a remarkably successful kind of human. And yet, despite having the entire genome of a Denisovan, Dr. Paabo cannot say much yet about what they were like. “By sequencing my complete genome, there’s very little you could predict about what I look like or how I behave,” he said.
Fascinating information, first the news of Neanderthal admixture (<4%) in Eurasians and possible unidentified archaic (<13%) admixture in Africans and now this.
Its seems in a decade or so we will have a much clearer picture of human evolution in the last million years.
Greater insight into the evolution of mankind, the Chinese study on the genetics intelligence, the possibility STDs manipulate host sexual behaviour... Perhaps Gregory Cochran was right in his prediction that we are in for a veritable storm of findings that will illuminate the so far muddy cross-section of biology, anthropology and sociology in the next few years.
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