New study on genetic origins of dogs
When you’re bored with other things during this COVID isolation here is a recently published genetic study of dogs and man looking at how both spread throughout the world together (sometimes not toget...
Forum Discussion
BCSnob wrote:
In addition to sharing dispersal paths, dogs and humans have traced parallel paths of evolutionary adaptation. Variation in the copy number of genes encoding amylase, the enzyme required for breaking down starch, is such an example of convergent evolution. Humans carry extra salivary amylase copies compared to chimpanzees (8, 9), owing to high starch consumption that perhaps began before farming (10). Likewise, most dogs, compared to wolves, carry extra pancreatic amylase (AMYB2) copies, possibly facilitating starch digestion in their new environment (11). Bergström and colleagues show that early dogs already carried extra amylase copies compared to wolves, but amylase copy numbers further expanded following the increasing reliance on starch-rich agricultural diets in prehistoric Eurasia over the past 7000 years. ..
There is more for when you’re in the mood
Very interesting. This means that dogs actually can utilize those EVIL grains and have been for eons?? (Read sarcasm for those of you who don't know my posting history :B)
Thanks for sharing.
