Summary of Dr. Svante Pääbo「An Ancient DNA View of Human Origins」

00:00:00 - 00:45:00

This video discusses the work of a research group that has been studying ancient DNA, and how this work has helped to define modern humans. The group has also been interested in neanderthals, as they are the closest evolutionary relatives to all people living today. The video discusses the discovery of a Denisovan lineage in the modern human genome, and how this lineage is found in different parts of the world. It also explains that while this lineage is found in Africa, it is likely not the only place where Denisovans interacted with modern humans.

• 00:00:00 The video discusses the work of a research group that has been studying ancient DNA, and shows how this work has helped to define modern humans. The group has also been interested in neanderthals, as they are the closest evolutionary relatives to all people living today.
• 00:05:00 The video discusses the chemical modifications that occur in DNA, and how they can interfere with DNA analysis. It also discusses how DNA can be retrieved from extinct organisms, and how this information can be used to reconstruct parts of the human genome.
• 00:10:00 The video discusses the discovery of a Denisovan lineage in the modern human genome, and shows how this lineage is found in different parts of the world. It also explains that while this lineage is found in Africa, it is likely not the only place where Denisovans interacted with modern humans.
• 00:15:00 This video discusses how modern human DNA can be used to study genetic variants that are associated with preterm birth. By looking at ancient human DNA, it is possible to track the frequency of these variants over time. This research could help us to better understand the biological consequences of these variants.
• 00:20:00 The video discusses how a progesterone receptor variant that does not come from Neanderthals is associated with premature births, miscarriages, and a greater risk of becoming sick from the flu.
• 00:25:00 Dr. Svante Pääbo discusses the genetic variant that he and others have discovered to be associated with an increased risk of death in individuals during the current pandemic. This variant is found on chromosome 3 and is associated with a decreased risk of contracting HIV if you are exposed to the virus.
• 00:30:00 The video discusses the influence of Neanderthals on present-day humans, focusing on changes that took place since humans and Neanderthals separated about 500,000 years ago. Changes include changes in the genome that are likely to underlie unique functions that modern humans display, such as art and specialization in technology.
• 00:35:00 The video discusses how human DNA differs from that of apes, with particular emphasis on the differences in the timing of chromosome segregation. It reveals that one of the genes responsible for this process has changed in humans compared to chimpanzees, and that this change may be related to human cognitive abilities.
• 00:40:00 In this video, Svante Pääbo discusses how he and his team have used ancient DNA to study how the position of certain proteins affects human metaphase length. They found that two proteins, responsible for humanizing a mouse, are crucial for proper chromosome segregation. When these proteins are changed in stem cells, their morphology changes, leading to mis-segregation in the brain stem cells of Neanderthals relative to modern humans.
• 00:45:00 This video discusses how a team at the Institute of Science and Technology in Sweden is using mouse models to study human brain development and DNA. The team is excited to be back working on this project after being away for two years.