在人類進(jìn)化的歷史長河中，新石器時(shí)代標(biāo)志著農(nóng)業(yè)文明的出現(xiàn)和人類生活方式的巨大改變,，特別是由于水稻和小麥等主要農(nóng)作物的馴化所導(dǎo)致的人類食物結(jié)構(gòu)的變化,。
近日,，中國科學(xué)院昆明動(dòng)物研究所比較基因組學(xué)實(shí)驗(yàn)室宿兵研究員指導(dǎo)的博士研究生彭憶等研究人員通過對乙醇脫氫酶第47位氨基酸多態(tài)性（ADH1B*47His）的研究發(fā)現(xiàn),，這一氨基酸突變在人群中的分布和起源時(shí)間與中國南方新石器早期水稻的馴化及其擴(kuò)散的模式非常吻合,。考古學(xué)研究已經(jīng)證明,，中國南方發(fā)酵大米和釀酒的歷史可以追溯到水稻馴化的早期,，即9000年以前。攜帶ADH1B*47His突變的乙醇脫氫酶代謝乙醇的能力是普通乙醇脫氫酶的100倍,，這導(dǎo)致代謝中間體乙醛的大量積累。乙醛短時(shí)間大量積累會(huì)導(dǎo)致諸如臉紅,、眩暈等不良反應(yīng),，會(huì)阻止飲用者過量食用從而減輕乙醇對身體的危害，但同時(shí)又能夠利用大米經(jīng)過發(fā)酵后（如米酒等食物）的較高營養(yǎng)價(jià)值,。這種自然選擇作用導(dǎo)致ADH1B*47His在過去1萬年間隨著水稻種植的擴(kuò)散在東亞人群中迅速增加,，在中國江浙地區(qū)接近100％。
該研究是目前報(bào)道的僅有的幾個(gè)人類對食物變化分子適應(yīng)的例子,，為了解新石器時(shí)代以來人群遺傳結(jié)構(gòu)的變遷以及自然選擇的分子機(jī)制提供了新的證據(jù),。
研究結(jié)果發(fā)表于1月20日出版的BMC Evolutionary Biology 。（生物谷Bioon.com）
生物谷推薦原始出處：
BMC Evolutionary Biology 2010, 10:15doi:10.1186/1471-2148-10-15
The ADH1B Arg47His polymorphism in East Asian populations and expansion of rice domestication in history
Yi Peng , Hong Shi , Xue-bin Qi , Chun-jie Xiao , Hua Zhong , Run-lin Z Ma and Bing Su
Background
The emergence of agriculture about 10,000 years ago marks a dramatic change in human evolutionary history. The diet shift in agriculture societies might have a great impact on the genetic makeup of Neolithic human populations. The regionally restricted enrichment of the class I alcohol dehydrogenase sequence polymorphism (ADH1BArg47His) in southern China and the adjacent areas suggests Darwinian positive selection on this genetic locus during Neolithic time though the driving force is yet to be disclosed.
Results
We studied a total of 38 populations (2,275 individuals) including Han Chinese, Tibetan and other ethnic populations across China. The geographic distribution of the ADH1B*47His allele in these populations indicates a clear east-to-west cline, and it is dominant in south-eastern populations but rare in Tibetan populations. The molecular dating suggests that the emergence of the ADH1B*47His allele occurred about 10,000~7,000 years ago.
Conclusion
We present genetic evidence of selection on the ADH1BArg47His polymorphism caused by the emergence and expansion of rice domestication in East Asia. The geographic distribution of the ADH1B*47His allele in East Asia is consistent with the unearthed culture relic sites of rice domestication in China. The estimated origin time of ADH1B*47His allele in those populations coincides with the time of origin and expansion of Neolithic agriculture in southern China.
