Siberians share DNA with extinct human species

Siberians share DNA with mystery men?

Siberians and other East Asian populations apparently mated with a mysterious extinct human species denisova hominin. Denisova hominins are members of the genus Homo that may belong to a previously unknown species based on an analysis of their mitochondrial DNA.The group likely branched off from the Neanderthal population 300,000 years ago, researchers say. Their gene variants are strongest in the Pacific Islands Philippines.

Man's ancestors mated with Neanderthals and other related hominids during human evolution, according to a new study. Researchers have found that people in East Asia share genetic material with Denisovans, who got the name from the cave in Siberia where they were first found.

The new study covers a larger part of the world than earlier research, and it is clear that it is not as simple as previously thought.

Professor Mattias Jakobsson, of Uppsala University in Sweden who conducted the study together with graduate student Pontus Skoglund, said hybridisation took place at several points in evolution and the genetic traces of this can be found in several places in the world.

He said: "We'll probably be uncovering more events like these.

"Previous studies have found two separate hybridisation events between so-called archaic humans - different from modern humans in both genetics and morphology - and the ancestors of modern humans after their emergence from Africa.