Nose shape gene inherited from Neanderthals

Humans inherited genetic material from Neanderthals that affects the shape of our noses, a new study led by UCL researchers has found.

The new Biology of Communication The study found that a particular gene, which leads to a taller nose (from top to bottom), may be the product of natural selection as ancient humans adapted to colder climates after leaving in Africa.

Co-author Dr. Kaustubh Adhikari (UCL Genetics, Evolution & Environment at The Open University) said, “In the last 15 years, since the Neanderthal genome was sequenced, we have learned that our own ancestors appear to have interbred with The Neanderthals, leaving us small bits of their DNA.

“Here, we found that some DNA inherited from Neanderthals influences the shape of our faces. This may have helped our ancestors, as it was passed down through thousands of generations.”

The study used data from more than 6,000 volunteers across Latin America, of mixed European, Native American and African ancestry, who were part of the UCL-led CANDELA study, which recruited from Brazil , Colombia, Chile, Mexico and Peru. The researchers compared the genetic information from the participants to photos of their faces—specifically looking at the distances between points on their faces, such as the tip of the nose or the sides of the lips—to see if how different facial features are associated with the presence of different genetic markers.

The researchers newly identified 33 regions of the genome associated with face shape, 26 of which were able to be replicated in comparisons with data from other ethnicities using participants from east Asia, Europe, or Africa.

In a particular region of the genome, called ATF3, the researchers found that many people in their study with Native American ancestry (as well as others with east Asian ancestry from another group) had genetic material in this gene inherited from Neanderthals, which contributes to the increased height of the nose. They also found that this region of the gene had signs of natural selection, suggesting that it provided an advantage for carriers of the genetic material.

First author Dr. Qing Li (Fudan University) said, “It has long been thought that the shape of our noses is determined by natural selection; because our noses help us regulate the temperature and humidity of the air we breathe inhaled, different Nose shapes may have been better suited to the different climates our ancestors lived in. The gene we identified here may have been inherited from Neanderthals to help humans adapt to colder climate as our ancestors moved out of Africa.”

Co-author Professor Andres Ruiz-Linares (Fudan University, UCL Genetics, Evolution & Environment, and Aix-Marseille University) added, “Most genetic studies of human diversity have investigate the genes of Europeans; our study’s diverse sample of Latin American participants broadens the reach of genetic study findings, helping us better understand the genetics of all people.”

The finding is the second discovery of DNA from ancient humans, different from Homo sapiens, that affects the shape of our face. The same team discovered in a 2021 paper that a gene influencing lip shape was inherited from ancient Denisovans.

The study included researchers based in the UK, China, France, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Colombia, Mexico, Germany, and Brazil.