News Release

Evolution of light skin in Southern Africa

Peer-Reviewed Publication

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

Researchers report that an allele associated with light skin pigmentation in Eurasians was present in a sample of 430 KhoeSan individuals from South Africa at frequencies of 33-53%; population history simulations suggest that migrating East African pastoralists, previously in contact with Eurasians, introduced the allele to the KhoeSan fewer than 2,000 years ago, and the allele subsequently underwent strong rapid positive selection, according to the authors.

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Article #18-01948: "Rapid evolution of a skin-lightening allele in southern African KhoeSan," by Meng Lin et al.

MEDIA CONTACT: Brenna M. Henn, University of California, Davis, CA; tel: 650-269-6535; e-mail: bmhenn@ucdavis.edu


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