The genetic and phenotypic impact of archaic introgression in the Major Histocompatibility Complex

The admixture of modern humans with Neandertals and Denisovans has resulted in 2% of the genomes of present-day non-Africans still being of Neandertal ancestry and an additional 3-4% of the genomes of Oceanians being composed of Denisovan DNA. This introgressed archaic DNA has repeatedly been associated with immune phenotypes in present-day people. In this project, we will investigate Neandertal and Denisovan DNA within the Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC), a key immune region in the human genome. We will assess the impact of past episodes of selection on archaic DNA within the MHC across diverse present-day human populations and correlate these findings with their effects on disease and pathogen-specific immune responses in people today. Our findings will shed light on the impact of archaic admixture on the genomic composition and health of present-day populations, thereby enhancing our understanding of the persistence of disease-associated variants in present-day populations.