Adaptations to water stress and pastoralism in the Turkana of northwest Kenya

Lea, Amanda J.; Caldas, Ian V.; Garske, Kristina M.; Echwa, J; Gurven, Michael; Handley, Carla; Kahumbu, John; Kamau, Joseph; Kinyua, P; Lotukoi, Francis; Lopurudoi, A; Lowasa, S; Mallarino, Ricardo; Martins, Dino J.; Messer, Philipp W.; Miano, C; Muhoya, Benjamin; Peng, Julie; Phung, Tanya N.; Rabinowitz, Joshua D.; Roichman, Asael; Siford, R; Stone, Anne C.; Taravella-Oill, A M; Mathew, Sarah; Wilson, Melissa A.; Ayroles, Julien F.

doi:10.1101/2023.01.17.524066

Cited by 3 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 42 publications

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“…Approximately 100 cells were counted per individual, with the total number ranging from 90-108 cells. PBMC mRNA-seq data were generated by the Turkana Health and Genomics Project (THGP) as previously described [70] (see Supplementary Methods). We had gene expression data for 43 pastoralist Turkana and 201 urban Turkana.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sex differences in immune function and disease risk are not easily explained by an evolutionary mismatch

Arner,

Muhoya,

Rozado

et al. 2024

Preprint

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The Pregnancy Compensation Hypothesis (PCH) posits that sex differences in the mammalian immune system reflect the effects of selection on female immunity during pregnancy, during which increased immunomodulation is required to reduce immune responses to the fetus, while maintaining the ability to respond to pathogens. In humans, fewer pathogens and lower parity in urban, industrialized environments has been suggested to leave female immune systems under-stimulated, creating an evolutionary mismatch which exacerbates sex differences in immunity and increases female autoimmune disease risk. Yet, robust tests of this mismatch hypothesis have not been conducted. Here, we first confirmed a sex-bias in autoimmune disease prevalence in a large dataset of individuals from the United Kingdom (UK Biobank). Second, we asked whether sex differences in immune function are affected by shifts toward urban, lower-parity lifestyles in a single population (the Turkana people of northwest Kenya). We found that lifestyle alters sex differences in immune cell type proportions, but not in gene expression levels. Contrary to expectations from the PCH, parity did not predict immune physiology. We then tested for generalizable trends across natural fertility mammalian populations versus urban humans (data from Turkana, NHANES, GTEx, Batwa and Bakiga, yellow baboons, and macaques). We did not find consistent relationships between lifestyle and sex-biases in immune biomarkers or between parity and the same immune outcomes. Indeed, we found that parity predicts autoimmune disease risk in the opposite direction than expected from the PCH, with higher parity associated with higher autoimmune disease risk while adjusting for relevant socioeconomic variables in the UK Biobank. Taken together, our work suggests that while sex clearly influences immune physiology and disease risk in urban settings, these effects are not easily explained by an evolutionary mismatch. Future work addressing how sex interacts with lifestyle change to generate disease is needed.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sex differences in immune function and disease risk are not easily explained by an evolutionary mismatch

Arner,

Muhoya,

Rozado

et al. 2024

Preprint

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“…The kidneys, which are unique among mammals, serve as a critical bridge between water conservation adaptations and thermoregulatory adaptations to maintain homeostasis (Beuchat 1990). Selection pressure on a kidney expressed gene, STC1, among Turkana pastoralists in response to dehydration and meat consumption has been associated with urea levels (Lea et al 2023). Thus, extreme heat, aridity, and WI may create selection pressures with implications for genetic adaptations for water needs.…”

Section: Water Needs Thirst and Hydration Strategiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Water Needs, Water Insecurity, and Human Biology

Rosinger

2023

Annu. Rev. Anthropol.

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Water links the environment, culture, and biology. An integrative approach is needed to attain a complete picture of how water affects human biology due to its inherent interdisciplinary nature. First, this review describes advances in human water needs, thirst, and hydration strategies from a biocultural perspective. Second, it provides a critical appraisal of the literatures on water insecurity (WI) experiences and coping strategies used to mitigate WI to illustrate how they intersect to affect human biology through the embodiment framework. Deviations from water needs and heightened WI can alter hydration and coping strategies, which have implications for a suite of psychological and physiological outcomes. These disruptions are embodied in cellular damage, dehydration, nutrition, stress, mental health, cognitive impairment, aging-related effects, cardiometabolic health, and kidney function. Disrupting forces such as lifestyle changes and climate change have important implications for water needs, WI, coping and hydration strategies, and the embodiment of each. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Anthropology, Volume 52 is October 2023. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.

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“…One approach to genome editing for water stress in livestock is to modify genes that are involved in water use and conservation (Karavolias et al, 2021). For example, researchers have identified genes involved in animal water use efficiency (Lea et al, 2023), which could be introduced into the genomes of livestock such as cattle or sheep. By modifying these genes, it may be possible to develop animals that are more efficient at using water and can better tolerate water stress.…”

Section: Mitigating Water Stressmentioning

confidence: 99%

Utilization of Genome Editing for Livestock Resilience in Changing Environment

Ngeno

2023

Black Sea Journal of Agriculture

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Climate change poses a significant threat to livestock production systems, including changes in temperature and rainfall patterns, increased frequency of extreme weather events, and the spread of diseases. The use of genome editing technologies presents a potential solution to mitigate the impacts of climate change on livestock. This paper reviewed the prospects of utilizing genome editing in mitigating the impact of climate change in livestock. Applications of genome editing in development of heat-tolerant, and disease-resistant as well as animals with improved feed and water use efficiency and reduced methane emissions are explored. Additionally, a potential breeding program for gene edited animals is proposed. There are several different genome editing techniques that can be used in livestock breeding, including CRISPR/Cas9, TALENs, and zinc-finger nucleases. These techniques involve introducing specific changes to the animal's genome, such as deleting or replacing genes, or introducing new ones. The technology has enormous potential for improving livestock breeding, as it allows for the creation of animals with desirable traits in a much shorter time frame than traditional breeding methods. Generally, it may take years or even decades to breed an animal with a specific trait using traditional breeding methods, whereas genome editing can achieve the same result in just a few generations. Genome editing can be used to mitigate the impact of climate change on livestock production by reducing the methane emissions by improving the efficiency of feed conversion and modifying the genes responsible for methane production. Technology can be utilized to improve livestock feeds by modifying genes involved in plant growth, development, and nutrient use. This lead to the creation of forages that are high yielding, more nutritious and better adapted to diverse production environments. Genome editing allows development of animals that are more resistant to diseases, which can help reduce the need for antibiotics and other treatments. This is particularly important given the growing problem of antibiotic resistance, which is a major concern in both human and animal health. Genome editing has the potential of developing animals that are thermo-tolerant, as well as animals with improved feed and water use efficiency. The proposed breeding program for gene-edited animals will ensure that the animals produced are healthy, genetically diverse, and meet the desired traits. In terms of ethical concerns, policies for genome editing ought consider the potential for unintended consequences or the creation of animals with characteristics that are viewed as undesirable or unethical Overall, genome editing technology has the potential to revolutionize livestock production and contribute to the global effort to mitigate the impact of climate change.

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Adaptations to water stress and pastoralism in the Turkana of northwest Kenya

Cited by 3 publications

References 42 publications

Sex differences in immune function and disease risk are not easily explained by an evolutionary mismatch

Sex differences in immune function and disease risk are not easily explained by an evolutionary mismatch

Water Needs, Water Insecurity, and Human Biology

Utilization of Genome Editing for Livestock Resilience in Changing Environment

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