Genetic Variations in the TP53 Pathway in Native Americans Strongly Suggest Adaptation to the High Altitudes of the Andes

A study recently published in PLoS One explored five polymorphisms in genes of the TP53 pathway that are distributed across Native American populations. Genes in this pathway are important in the regulation of many basic cellular functions, and have been linked to embryonic development and tumor suppression. The authors successfully linked specific alleles to high-altitude adaptations that likely facilitated colonization of the Andes Mountains.