Scientists Uncover Ancient Viruses in Neanderthal DNA Linked to Their Mysterious Extinction

• Neanderthals might have been susceptible to the same viruses responsible for contemporary colds, cold sores, and certain types of cancer.
• It's possible ancient humans introduced These unknown viruses compared to their kin.
• Gaining insight into these ancient viruses could help unravel the mystery of Neanderthals' disappearance as well as provide clues about contemporary illnesses.

Neanderthals might have been affected by certain conditions. very familiar diseases 50,000 years ago, potentially leading to their decline.

Researchers studying ancient Neanderthal DNA discovered evidence of three viruses responsible for common colds, cold sores, genital warts, and cancer.

Ancient humans could be the ones who initially spread these pests, as suggested by scientists whose research was recently published in the peer-reviewed journal " Viruses ."

Most experts on Neanderthals believe the species went extinct Due to multiple factors, including shifting climates, lower birthrates, and human activities. Attempting to heal from diseases—particularly new ones brought by remote relatives—probably wouldn’t have made much of a difference.

Subpar health due to "such kinds of infections might negatively affect you when you are competing." another species Marcelo Briones, one of the scientists involved in discovering the viruses, communicated this information to Business Insider through an email exchange.

These ancient viruses not only have the potential to enhance our comprehension of Neanderthals' extinction , but they could provide insights into the contemporary strains that continue to affect people today.

Bones from Siberia containing ancient viruses

Approximately 54,000 years ago, a tiny community Neanderthals inhabited Chagyrskaya Cave in Southern Siberia.

Briones and his team examined the sequenced DNA data of two Neanderthals from the cave—a mature male and a young boy—to search for signs of three viruses they believed may have played a role in the species’ demise: adenovirus, herpesvirus, and papillomavirus.

The adenovirus can cause Respiratory infections such as colds or influenza can occur, whereas herpesviruses might lead to conditions like cold sores or genital warts, based on the specific virus type. Certain types of cancer, including cervical cancer, have been associated with infection from the papillomavirus.

This is not the first instance where researchers have discovered inactive (no longer capable of infecting) pathogens. ancient human viruses . A 2021 study recorded the finding of adenovirus in ancient human teeth dating back to 31,600 years ago from Siberia.

The adenoviruses, herpesviruses, and papillomaviruses identified in this recent research date back approximately 50,000 years, as stated by the scientists — making them 20,000 years older than those discovered in the Siberian teeth.

That's about when certain experts estimate Humans and Neanderthals interbred approximately between 60,000 and 50,000 years ago. Besides exchanging genetic material, humans and Neanderthals likely also passed around diseases.

It remains uncertain whether new viruses would have produced identical effects in Neanderthals as they do in modern humans today. Although these infections probably triggered an immune reaction, assessing the severity of such diseases is challenging, according to Briones.

One 2016 study suggested Interbreeding with Neanderthals might have enhanced human resistance to unfamiliar illnesses. Nevertheless, the Neanderthals could have faced worse outcomes from this interaction.

"Even without being life-threatening, a common cold can reduce hunting effectiveness or reproductive capabilities," Briones stated. Given their already limited numbers, contracting novel diseases may have played a role in the disappearance of Neanderthals. roughly 40,000 years ago.

The challenge of working with ancient DNA

Gaining insights into how these age-old ailments have evolved over tens of thousands of years might illuminate their impact on contemporary humans.

Certain viruses remain within your system indefinitely. These can significantly affect human well-being due to their persistent nature as chronic infections,” explained Sasha Tabachnikova, a PhD student researching herpesviruses at the Yale School of Medicine. New studies have shown this recently. linked Epstein-Barr — which belongs to the family of herpesviruses — with multiple sclerosis , for example.

Tabachnikova, despite not being part of the study, is enthusiastic about exploring how an ancient virus might have changed from the times of the Neanderthals. However, such research is probably still quite distant.

Ancient DNA is tricky To work with, it deteriorates and snaps into pieces. fragments The lengthier a DNA sequence is, the simpler it becomes to recognize.

As Professor Diyendo Massilani from Yale University noted, when sequences are very brief, they appear ubiquitously across different genome types, which may result in misunderstandings within the dataset.

Sally Wasef, a paleogeneticist from the Queensland University of Technology, points out that viruses possess even more compact DNA sequences compared to humans. This implies that techniques utilized for examining historical human DNA may be ineffective when applied to viruses. told New Scientist .

Massilani expressed reservations about the way the researchers were analyzing the ancient DNA. He acknowledged that they likely possess valuable insights, yet suggested refining certain methodologies to bolster their findings.

Briones stated that he and his team intend to conduct additional studies to verify their conclusions.

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