New progress in the study of human ADH1B gene evolution

  Alcohol (ethanol) metabolism-related genes are one of the hotspots in molecular evolution and population genetic research. Among them, the alcohol dehydrogenase 1B (ADH1B) gene has non-synonym substitutions from arginine (Arg) at position 48 to histidine (His). The activity of ADH1B with this mutation is greatly increased, and the ingested alcohol is immediately converted into acetaldehyde. Existing research shows that the ADH1B variant has a high frequency distribution (average 30%) in the population of East Asia and West Asia, but it is very common among indigenous peoples in Africa, Europe and the Americas. Low (less than 5% on average). However, Galinsky et al. used a newly developed method to detect ADH1B gene mutations (ADH1BArg48His) in naturally selected European populations, in which the ADH1B gene was found in European and East Asian populations. It is proposed to have a convergent evolution in (http://www.cell.com/ajhg/abstract/S0002-9297(16)00003-3).

  In response to this abnormal result, Zhang Yaping's research team at the Kunming Institute of Zoology carefully checked the analysis process, such as Garinsky, and used the same method for the "1000 Genome Project" for the European population. I analyzed the data. The researchers did not detect the ADH1BArg48His variant in the European population as a selection signal. Galinsky et al. The conclusion indicates that the selection of the ADH1B variant may be due to the German Jewish population in the study sample. German Jews originated in West Asia, and their genetic structure is significantly different from the European population. This population carries ADH1BArg48His (21%) more frequently than the European average. The related results indicate that the obvious frequency difference between groups is not necessarily the result of selection. Selectivity analysis should consider population genetic structure and events in population history, especially gene flow and genetic mixing. These factors are particularly noteworthy in large group studies involving multiple races.