Taiwan study reveals natural selection affecting disease risk
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Researchers at National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU) in Taiwan studied genetic data from 72,635 Han Taiwanese people to understand how natural selection is currently influencing the population’s health.
The team used data from the Taiwan Biobank and compared genetic variations across different age groups. They identified 168 genetic variants undergoing natural selection, with 159 becoming less common over time. The study showed a clear pattern related to red blood cell traits.
Variants linked to larger red blood cell volume and lower hemoglobin concentration were decreasing in younger people, suggesting natural selection is reducing their prevalence. Scientists believe this trend may connect to historical adaptation to diseases like malaria, which was common in Taiwan until about 60 years ago. This process of removing harmful genetic variations is called “purifying selection.” Additionally, the researchers found evidence of natural selection impacting genes involved in DNA repair and cancer.
They observed a decline in a specific BRCA1 variant carrying disease-causing mutations in younger generations. Understanding these population-specific genetic variations could improve disease risk assessment and enable more precise medical treatments. Ko Wen-ya of NYCU led the study, collaborating with Yoko Satta from Japan, and published their findings in the American Journal of Human Genetics in July.
