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Study Reveals Genetic Adaptation to Arsenic in Andes

3/21/2026

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Story summary
  • In the Argentinian Andes, residents of San Antonio de los Cobres face arsenic levels 20 times WHO limit.
  • A study led by Carina Schlebusch and Lucie Gattepaille found a variant that helps metabolize arsenic.
  • Researchers analyzed DNA from 124 women and found variants near AS3MT that enhance arsenic processing.
  • The findings suggest long-term exposure drove genetic changes providing a survival advantage, published in Molecular Biology and Evolution.