A breakthrough paleogenomic study published in Nature Paleogenomics has mapped the genetic history of post-glacial hunter-gatherers in the Iberian Peninsula. Researchers analyzed remains discovered in the Ebro Valley, revealing a specific genetic adaptation to arboviruses that were endemic to the region during the Late Pleistocene. This finding suggests that human populations were already undergoing rapid evolutionary selection for viral resistance well before the onset of the Neolithic Revolution.
The study utilized high-coverage shotgun sequencing to identify markers in the OAS1 gene cluster, which is critical for the innate immune response against RNA viruses. This research provides the first concrete evidence of how early European foragers adapted to the unique ecological pressures of the Mediterranean basin following the retreat of the ice sheets. It further illuminates the complex interplay between climate shifts, pathogen spread, and human genomic evolution during one of the most volatile periods in Earth's history.