Comment on "Ongoing adaptive evolution of ASPM, a brain size determinant in Homo sapiens" and "Microcephalin, a gene regulating brain size, continues to evolve adaptively in humans".
Mekel-Bobrov et al. and Evans et al. (Reports, 9 Sept. 2005, p. 1720 and p. 1717, respectively) examined sequence data from modern humans within two gene regions associated with brain development, ASPM and microcephalin, and concluded that selection of these genes must be ongoing. We show that models of human history that include both population growth and spatial structure can generate the observed patterns without selection.
Currat
Mathias
M
Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada.
Excoffier
Laurent
L
Maddison
Wayne
W
Otto
Sarah P
SP
Ray
Nicolas
N
Whitlock
Michael C
MC
Yeaman
Sam
S
D000220:Adaptation, Biological; D005075:Biological Evolution; D001921:Brain; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D003710:Demography; D018703:Founder Effect; D005787:Gene Frequency; D006239:Haplotypes; D006801:Humans; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D009929:Organ Size; D011156:Population Density; D011158:Population Growth; D012641:Selection, Genetic; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
C467202:ASPM protein, human; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; C460645:MCPH1 protein, human; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins