Story perspectives

Study Reveals Genetic Adaptations in Andes Indigenous Populations

12/10/2025

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Summary

Story summary

Researchers studied blood samples from 39 Indigenous individuals in the Ecuadorian Andes and Peruvian Amazon, including the Kichwa and Ashaninka communities.
They sequenced the entire methylome, identifying 779 differences between high-altitude and low-altitude populations.
Two hypoxia-response genes showed lower methylation in high-altitude Kichwa, indicating adaptation to low oxygen.
The follistatin gene was hypermethylated, suggesting links to Andean physiological traits.
The study is published in Environmental Epigenetics.

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Story summary

Researchers studied blood samples from 39 Indigenous individuals in the Ecuadorian Andes and Peruvian Amazon, including the Kichwa and Ashaninka communities.
They sequenced the entire methylome, identifying 779 differences between high-altitude and low-altitude populations.
Two hypoxia-response genes showed lower methylation in high-altitude Kichwa, indicating adaptation to low oxygen.
The follistatin gene was hypermethylated, suggesting links to Andean physiological traits.
The study is published in Environmental Epigenetics.