Title

A high-coverage Neandertal genome from Vindija Cave in Croatia

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Publication Date

November 2017

Abstract

To date, the Neandertal genome that has been sequenced to high quality is from an individual found in Southern Siberia. We sequenced the genome of a female Neandertal from ~50,000 years ago from Vindija Cave, Croatia, to ~30-fold genomic coverage. She carried 1.6 differences per 10,000 base pairs between the two copies of her genome, fewer than present-day humans, suggesting that Neandertal populations were of small size. Our analyses indicate that she was more closely related to the Neandertals that mixed with the ancestors of present-day humans living outside of sub-Saharan Africa than the previously sequenced Neandertal from Siberia, allowing 10 to 20% more Neandertal DNA to be identified in present-day humans, including variants involved in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations, schizophrenia, and other diseases.

Keywords

Vindija Neandertal Genome, Neandertal, Neanderthal Genome, Vindija Cave, Croatia, Southern Siberia

Type

Article

Notes

Science, Vol. 358, no. 6363 (2017-11-03).

Identifier

SFS0039923_00001

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