By studying saliva, researchers at the University of Buffalo have found clues to a possible ancient 'ghost species' of humans.
The search shows that human ancestors living in Sub-Sahara Africa may have had trysts with other early hominins.It seems that interbreeding between different early hominin species is not the exception — it’s the norm,” said Omer Gokcumen, PhD, an assistant professor of biological sciences in the University at Buffalo College of Arts and Sciences in a press release.
Gokcumen added that when you looked for the mucin protein known as MUC7 that's found in saliva, the evidence is there for interbreeding.
“When we looked at the history of the gene that codes for the protein, we see the signature of archaic admixture in modern day Sub-Saharan African populations.”
The new findings, which were published on July 21 in the Molecular Biology and Evolution journal, appear to be part of a trend. Other similar studies have concluded that humanity's ancestors in Asia and Europe may have interbred with other early hominin species, including the Neanderthals and Denisovans.
The search shows that human ancestors living in Sub-Sahara Africa may have had trysts with other early hominins.It seems that interbreeding between different early hominin species is not the exception — it’s the norm,” said Omer Gokcumen, PhD, an assistant professor of biological sciences in the University at Buffalo College of Arts and Sciences in a press release.
Gokcumen added that when you looked for the mucin protein known as MUC7 that's found in saliva, the evidence is there for interbreeding.
“When we looked at the history of the gene that codes for the protein, we see the signature of archaic admixture in modern day Sub-Saharan African populations.”
The new findings, which were published on July 21 in the Molecular Biology and Evolution journal, appear to be part of a trend. Other similar studies have concluded that humanity's ancestors in Asia and Europe may have interbred with other early hominin species, including the Neanderthals and Denisovans.