Detection of the CCR5-Delta32 HIV resistance gene in Bronze Age skeletons.
A mutant allele of the chemokine receptor CCR5 gene (CCR5-Delta32), which confers resistance to HIV-1 infection, is believed to have originated from a single mutation event in historic times, and rapidly expanded in Caucasian populations, owing to an unknown selective advantage. Among other candidates, the plague bacillus Yersinia pestis was implicated as a potential source of strong selective pressure on European populations during medieval times. Here, we report amplifications of the CCR5-Delta32 DNA sequence from up to 2900-year-old skeletal remains from different burial sites in central Germany and southern Italy. Furthermore, the allele frequency of CCR5-Delta32 in victims of the 14th century plague pandemic in Lubeck/northern Germany was not different from a historic control group. Our findings indicate that this mutation was prevalent already among prehistoric Europeans. The results also argue against the possibility of plague representing a major selective force that caused rapid increase in CCR5-Delta32 gene frequencies within these populations.
Hummel
S
S
Historic Anthropology and Human Ecology, Institute of Zoology and Anthropology, Georg-August-University, Göttingen, Germany.
Schmidt
D
D
Kremeyer
B
B
Herrmann
B
B
Oppermann
M
M
D005787:Gene Frequency / Q000235:genetics*; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005828:Genetics, Population; D006678:HIV; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D010930:Plague / Q000235:genetics; D019713:Receptors, CCR5 / Q000235:genetics*; D012641:Selection, Genetic; D017384:Sequence Deletion / Q000235:genetics*; D044465:White People
D019713:Receptors, CCR5