Genetic variants determining survival and fertility in an adverse African environment: a population-based large-scale candidate gene association study.

ABSTRACT: Human survival probability and fertility decline strongly with age. These life history traits have been shaped by evolution. However, research has failed to uncover a consistent genetic determination of variation in survival and fertility. As an explanation, such genetic determinants have been selected in adverse environments, in which humans have lived during most of their history, but are almost exclusively studied in populations in modern affluent environments. Here, we present a large-scale candidate gene association study in a rural African population living in an adverse environment. In 4387 individuals, we studied 4052 SNPs in 148 genes that have previously been identified as possible determinants of survival or fertility in animals or humans. We studied their associations with surv

SUBMITTER: Koopman JJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4993336 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature