title: Human evolution: a legacy of cannibalism in our genes?
abstract: A new study of genetic variation in the human prion protein gene suggests that balancing selection has operated on an amino acid sequence polymorphism in the gene during the last five hundred thousand years. Is this a legacy of widespread cannibalism by our ancestors?
authors.affiliation: Institute of Genetics, University of Nottingham, Queens Medical Centre, NG7 2UH, Nottingham, UK.
authors.forename: John F Y
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Brookfield
mesh_terms: D005075:Biological Evolution; D002190:Cannibalism; D006579:Heterozygote; D006801:Humans; D007729:Kuru / Q000235:genetics; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D011328:Prions / Q000235:genetics*; D012641:Selection, Genetic
chemical_list: D011328:Prions