Illustration of a teenage girl who is the offspring of a Neanderthal mother and Denisovan father. Image courtesy of John Bavaro Fine Art/Science Photo Library
Joel Kontinen
For only
the second time, researchers have obtained the full genome of a Denisovan, a
group of ancient humans who lived in Asia. The DNA was extracted from a single
200,000-year-old tooth found in a Siberian cave.
Denisovans
were the first ancient humans to be described using just DNA. A sliver of
finger bone from Denisova cave in Siberia held DNA unlike that of either modern
humans or the Neanderthals from western Eurasia. The genome revealed that
Denisovans interbred with modern humans: people in South-East Asia, including
the Philippines and Papua New Guinea, carry Denisovan DNA.
Based
on the number of mutations in the genome and comparisons to other ancient
humans, the team estimated that the individual lived about 205,000 years ago.
In line with this, the sediments in which the tooth was found were dated to
170,000-200,000 years ago. In contrast, the other high-quality genome is from a
Denisovan who lived 55,000-75,000 years ago, meaning that the new genome
reveals a much earlier stage of Denisovan history.
Based on
comparisons with other remains from Denisova cave, the team says there seem to
have been at least three discrete Denisovan populations. The oldest group
included the male whose tooth was analysed. A second group replaced this
older population at Denisova cave, thousands of years later.
The third
group, not represented at the cave, interbred with modern humans, based on DNA
testing. In other words, all the Denisovan DNA in modern humans comes from a
population of Denisovans that we know little or nothing about.
The new
genome reveals that Denisovans repeatedly interbred with Neanderthals, who
sometimes lived in or near Denisova cave.
The
Denisovans also seem to have interbred with an unidentified group of humans. They
might also have interbred with Homo erectus.
According to
Genesis, we all are members of the human race, the
descendants of Adam and Eve.
Source:
Michael Marshall 2025 Denisovans may have interbred with mysterious group of ancient humans | New Scientist 31 October
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