Genetic map reveals impact of interbreeding with ancient Denisovans and Neanderthals

Researchers have analysed the DNA of 257 individuals from 120 different non-African populations around the world to look for traces of ancestry from Neanderthals and Denisovans — another group of ancient humans that lived at the same time — in the modern human genome.

Previous studies have shown that almost all present-day non-African people possess some Neanderthal DNA, while some people, particularly people from Oceania, also have Denisovan DNA.

The new analysis indicated that modern humans interbred with Denisovans around 100 generations after their trysts with Neanderthals.

Map showing proportion of the genome inferred to be Denisovan in ancestry in diverse non-Africans (with red the highest proportion.