Neandertal DNA associated with severe illness with COVID-19
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 2021
Data from the GenOMICC consortium was used to identify a genetic variation on chromosome 12 which protects against severe disease when infected with SARS-CoV-2. This inherited genetic factor has been shown to originate in Neandertals and has been shown to be found in humans all over the world. Previously, Neandertal DNA alterations have been shown to increase the risk of severe disease in COVID-19 but this protective variation can help in our understanding of the virus and disease.