Articles for tag: ancient human genetics, CCR5 delta 32, HIV-resistant gene, immune system evolution, Viking DNA

Scanning electron micrograph of HIV-1 budding (in green) from cultured lymphocyte. This image has been colored to highlight important features; see PHIL 1197 for original black and white view of this image. Multiple round bumps on cell surface represent sites of assembly and budding of virions.

Viking DNA Reveals the Ancient Origins of an HIV-Fighting Gene Mutation

April Joy Jovita

A genetic mutation that helps protect against HIV infection has been traced back to a single individual who lived near the Black Sea between 6,700 and 9,000 years ago. This discovery challenges previous assumptions about the mutation’s origins, suggesting it spread rapidly across Eurasia long before the Viking Age. Tracing the Mutation’s Origins   Scientists analyzed ...