Development of enzymes before the agricultural era
Helps absorb grain-derived starches
It has been confirmed that humans had genes that allowed them to easily digest starch in food even before agriculture, which led to human development, was implemented.
The research team of Charles Lee, director of the Genomic Research Center at Jackson Lab (JAX) in the U.S., discovered that the amylase enzyme gene was first cloned hundreds of thousands of years ago and increased in number, influencing the carbohydrate diet of humans. The research results were published in the international journal Science on the 17th (local time). ‘ was revealed.
Starch, which is mainly found in foods made from grains such as pasta and bread, is a complex carbohydrate that is broken down by an enzyme called amylase. Humans have many copies of the gene that produces amylase (AMY1), making them better at digesting starchy foods, but it was unclear when and how the number of AMY1 genes increased.
The research team mapped the human AMY1 gene in detail using long-read sequencing technology that can identify complex genomic mutations. As a result of comparing and analyzing the genomes of 68 ancient humans, it was confirmed that Neanderthals during the hunting and gathering period already had multiple copies of AMY1.
Kim Kwon-do, a researcher at the JAX Genome Research Institute, explained, “This suggests that the AMY1 gene may have been first duplicated more than 800,000 years ago, long before humans separated from Neanderthals.” This means that the ability to digest starch was already strong even before a large amount of starch was consumed through farming. Previous research has shown that the number of AMY1 genes in European farmers has increased rapidly over the past 4,000 years due to a starch-rich diet. Livestock such as dogs and pigs were also found to have more copies of the AMY1 gene than other animals.
It is analyzed that increased AMY1 gene may have provided an advantage in adapting to a starch-rich diet. The research team explained, “Individuals with more AMY1 genes are likely to digest starch more efficiently and have more offspring.”
Donga Science Reporter Lee Byeong-gu [email protected]
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