Physiological and Genetic Adaptations to Diving in Sea Nomads
- PMID:29677510
- DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2018.03.054
Physiological and Genetic Adaptations to Diving in Sea Nomads
Abstract
Understanding the physiology and genetics of human hypoxia tolerance has important medical implications, but this phenomenon has thus far only been investigated in high-altitude human populations. Another system, yet to be explored, is humans who engage in breath-hold diving. The indigenous Bajau people ("Sea Nomads") of Southeast Asia live a subsistence lifestyle based on breath-hold diving and are renowned for their extraordinary breath-holding abilities. However, it is unknown whether this has a genetic basis. Using a comparative genomic study, we show that natural selection on genetic variants in the PDE10A gene have increased spleen size in the Bajau, providing them with a larger reservoir of oxygenated red blood cells. We also find evidence of strong selection specific to the Bajau on BDKRB2, a gene affecting the human diving reflex. Thus, the Bajau, and possibly other diving populations, provide a new opportunity to study human adaptation to hypoxia tolerance. VIDEO ABSTRACT.
Keywords: adaptation; bradykinin; diving reflex; diving response; hypoxia; natural selection; sea nomads; spleen size; thyroid hormone.
Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Comment in
- A breath-holding adaptation.Trenkmann M.Trenkmann M.Nat Rev Genet. 2018 Jul;19(7):402-403. doi: 10.1038/s41576-018-0014-1.Nat Rev Genet. 2018.PMID:29695757No abstract available.
Similar articles
- An Erythropoietin-Independent Mechanism of Erythrocytic Precursor Proliferation Underlies Hypoxia Tolerance in Sea Nomads.Ilardo M, Dos Santos MCF, Grote Beverborg N, Rajan M, Said MA, Verweij N, Van Der Harst P, Van Der Meer P, Leibold EA.Ilardo M, et al.Front Physiol. 2022 Jan 27;12:760851. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2021.760851. eCollection 2021.Front Physiol. 2022.PMID:35177992Free PMC article.
- Cardiovascular effects of breath-hold diving at altitude.Marabotti C, Laurino M, Passera M, Cialoni D, Franzino E, Benvenuti C, Pingitore A.Marabotti C, et al.Undersea Hyperb Med. 2024 Second Quarter;51(2):189-196.Undersea Hyperb Med. 2024.PMID:38985155
- Physiology, pathophysiology and (mal)adaptations to chronic apnoeic training: a state-of-the-art review.Elia A, Gennser M, Harlow PS, Lees MJ.Elia A, et al.Eur J Appl Physiol. 2021 Jun;121(6):1543-1566. doi: 10.1007/s00421-021-04664-x. Epub 2021 Mar 31.Eur J Appl Physiol. 2021.PMID:33791844Free PMC article.Review.
- Arterial blood gases in divers at surface after prolonged breath-hold.Bosco G, Paganini M, Rizzato A, Martani L, Garetto G, Lion J, Camporesi EM, Moon RE.Bosco G, et al.Eur J Appl Physiol. 2020 Feb;120(2):505-512. doi: 10.1007/s00421-019-04296-2. Epub 2020 Jan 7.Eur J Appl Physiol. 2020.PMID:31912227
- The physiology and pathophysiology of human breath-hold diving.Lindholm P, Lundgren CE.Lindholm P, et al.J Appl Physiol (1985). 2009 Jan;106(1):284-92. doi: 10.1152/japplphysiol.90991.2008. Epub 2008 Oct 30.J Appl Physiol (1985). 2009.PMID:18974367Review.
Cited by
- Time Domains of Hypoxia Responses and -Omics Insights.Yu JJ, Non AL, Heinrich EC, Gu W, Alcock J, Moya EA, Lawrence ES, Tift MS, O'Brien KA, Storz JF, Signore AV, Khudyakov JI, Milsom WK, Wilson SM, Beall CM, Villafuerte FC, Stobdan T, Julian CG, Moore LG, Fuster MM, Stokes JA, Milner R, West JB, Zhang J, Shyy JY, Childebayeva A, Vázquez-Medina JP, Pham LV, Mesarwi OA, Hall JE, Cheviron ZA, Sieker J, Blood AB, Yuan JX, Scott GR, Rana BK, Ponganis PJ, Malhotra A, Powell FL, Simonson TS.Yu JJ, et al.Front Physiol. 2022 Aug 8;13:885295. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2022.885295. eCollection 2022.Front Physiol. 2022.PMID:36035495Free PMC article.Review.
- Arctic-adapted dogs emerged at the Pleistocene-Holocene transition.Sinding MS, Gopalakrishnan S, Ramos-Madrigal J, de Manuel M, Pitulko VV, Kuderna L, Feuerborn TR, Frantz LAF, Vieira FG, Niemann J, Samaniego Castruita JA, Carøe C, Andersen-Ranberg EU, Jordan PD, Pavlova EY, Nikolskiy PA, Kasparov AK, Ivanova VV, Willerslev E, Skoglund P, Fredholm M, Wennerberg SE, Heide-Jørgensen MP, Dietz R, Sonne C, Meldgaard M, Dalén L, Larson G, Petersen B, Sicheritz-Pontén T, Bachmann L, Wiig Ø, Marques-Bonet T, Hansen AJ, Gilbert MTP.Sinding MS, et al.Science. 2020 Jun 26;368(6498):1495-1499. doi: 10.1126/science.aaz8599.Science. 2020.PMID:32587022Free PMC article.
- Rewriting Human History and Empowering Indigenous Communities with Genome Editing Tools.Fox K, Rallapalli KL, Komor AC.Fox K, et al.Genes (Basel). 2020 Jan 12;11(1):88. doi: 10.3390/genes11010088.Genes (Basel). 2020.PMID:31940934Free PMC article.
- Differential splenic responses to hyperoxic breathing at high altitude in Sherpa and lowlanders.Holmström PK, Harman TS, Kalker A, Steiner B, Hawkins E, Jorgensen KC, Zhu KT, Kunwar AJ, Thakur N, Dhungel S, Sherpa N, Day TA, Schagatay EK, Bigham AW, Brutsaert TD.Holmström PK, et al.Exp Physiol. 2024 Apr;109(4):535-548. doi: 10.1113/EP091579. Epub 2024 Jan 5.Exp Physiol. 2024.PMID:38180087Free PMC article.
- Understanding the Adaptive Evolutionary Histories of South American Ancient and Present-Day Populations via Genomics.Lindo J, DeGiorgio M.Lindo J, et al.Genes (Basel). 2021 Mar 2;12(3):360. doi: 10.3390/genes12030360.Genes (Basel). 2021.PMID:33801556Free PMC article.Review.
Publication types
MeSH terms
Substances
Related information
LinkOut - more resources
Full Text Sources
Other Literature Sources