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Modern humans do not have Neanderthal ancestors in their family tree, a new DNA

study concludes. The DNA extracted from the ribs of a Neanderthal infant buried

in southern Russia 29,000 years ago was found to be too distinct from modern

human DNA to be related. BBC (08-09-05)

"There wasn't much, if any mixture, between Neanderthals and modern humans,"

said William Goodwin, of the University of Glasgow, UK. "Though they co-existed,

we can't find any evidence of genetic material being passed from Neanderthals to

modern humans."

The new work, published in the journal Nature, contradicts recent evidence

from ancient remains of a child found in Portugal, which appeared to combine

Neanderthal and human features. Those researchers concluded that some

interbreeding must have taken place.

Last of the Neanderthals The bones from the Neanderthal infant were very

well preserved and the child must have been among the last of the Neanderthals

as they died out about 30,000 years ago.

Exactly what happened to them is a mystery. Conflicting theories suggest that

they were massacred, out-competed for food or simply absorbed by interbreeding

with modern humans.

The research by Dr Goodwin and his Swedish and Russian colleagues agrees with

the findings of the first analysis of Neanderthal DNA in 1997.

That study of DNA, taken from the first Neanderthal skeleton found in the

Feldhofer Cave in Germany in 1856, supports the theory that modern humans

replaced Neanderthals.

Little diversity According to Dr Goodwin, the DNA sequence from the infant

was very similar to the specimen from the Feldhofer Cave, proving that there

was little diversity among Neanderthals.

"If they had been very diverse at the DNA level, they could have encompassed

modern humans. The fact that these two Neanderthals are closely related and not

related to modern humans implies that they don't have the diversity to encompass

a modern human gene pool," said Dr Goodwin.

DNA comparisons also showed that different ethnic groups do not have any links

to Neanderthals.

In a commentary on the research in Nature, Matthias Hoss, of the Swiss

Institute for Experimental Cancer Research, said the two studies provide the

most reliable proof so far of the authenticity of ancient DNA sequences.

The similar features of the two samples "argues against the idea that modern

Europeans are at least partly of Neanderthal origin," he said.

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