Genetic Secrets That Allow Tibetans to Thrive in Thin Air Discovered

A new study pinpoints the genetic changes that enable Tibetans to thrive at altitudes where others get sick.

Tibetans carry a special version of a gene called EPAS1 that enables them to live at high-altitude without getting sick.

The study sheds light on how Tibetans, who have lived at extreme elevation for more than 10,000 years, have evolved to differ from their low-altitude ancestors. Lower air pressure at altitude means fewer oxygen molecules for every lungful of air. "Altitude affects your thinking, your breathing, and your ability to sleep. But high-altitude natives don't have these problems," said co-author Cynthia Beall of Case Western Reserve University.


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"They're able to live a healthy life, and they do it completely comfortably," she said. People who live or travel at high altitude respond to the lack of oxygen by making more hemoglobin, the oxygen-carrying component of human blood. "That's why athletes like to train at altitude. They increase their oxygen-carrying capacity," said Beall. But too much hemoglobin can be a bad thing. Excessive hemoglobin is the hallmark of chronic mountain sickness, an overreaction to altitude characterized by thick and viscous blood.

Tibetans maintain relatively low hemoglobin at high altitude, a trait that makes them less susceptible to the disease than other populations. "Tibetans can live as high as 13,000 feet without the elevated hemoglobin concentrations we see in other people," said Beall. To pinpoint the genetic variants underlying Tibetans' relatively low hemoglobin levels, the researchers collected blood samples from nearly 200 Tibetan villagers living in three regions high in the Himalayas.

When they compared the Tibetans' DNA with their lowland counterparts in China, their results pointed to the same culprit -- a gene on chromosome 2, called EPAS1, involved in red blood cell production and hemoglobin concentration in the blood.

www.sciencedaily.com...

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[edit on Tue Jun 8 2010 by Jbird]

Hello sandri-90!

Nice post, thanks! I wonder if this gene is exclusive to Tibetan's or if it is found in any other cultures that have lived at such elevations, you know, are we talking more about nurture or nature?

The day is coming I assume, when people will have a choice about "activating or deactivating" certain genes. This intrigues me as well as scares me a bit, but tis inevitable it seems, especially if/since there is plenty of money to be made.

I recently read a book called, Tibetan Magic and Mysticism by JH Brennan that discusses some Tibetan lore involving superhuman abilities, very interesting! I wonder if their genetic make up gives them any other unique abilities besides low hemoglobin?

But I digress......Anyway, Tibetans have always fascinated me so thanks for the post.

Peace