Benefit mutations

2002/01/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Genetika

Malaria is a disease caused by the pathogen Plasmodium falciparum. It infects human erythrocytes and manages to degrade 80% of its hemoglobin. As a result, the person develops malaria disease.

For this reason, in recent years anti-enzyme drugs that degrade hemoglobin have been developed. But man himself has found a way to avoid this degradation. In individuals of the African Mossi ethnicity, the spontaneous mutation of hemoglobin fat can cause enzymatic degradation. Thus, even if it is pathogen, the individual will not develop the disease.

The presence of common malaria in Africa has allowed the spread of the mutation by simple selective pressure. Viruses and bacteria frequently use this mutation capability to prevent the action of vaccines and antibiotics, but it seems that the human body can use the same pathway to protect itself from pathogens.