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Denisovan DNA: Ayta Magbukon in the Philippines

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Denisovan DNA: Ayta Magbukon in the Philippines

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Researchers have identified that ethnic groups has high proportion of horminin cousin DNA. According to my research, a new study by Uppsala University,  a Philippine Negrito ethnic group or the Ayta Magbukon have 30 to 40 percent derived from Denisovan DNA. They examined that there are 2.3 million genotypes from 118 indigenous groups in the Philippines. They revealed in their study that the highest level of Denisovan DNA was Ayta Magbukon. This population occupy the Central Luzon province of Bataan. There was proof provided that a large number of the Negrito population had recently blended in with East Asian group, who have considerably less hereditary from Denisovans in their genome. Along with the new disclosure of a little bodied hominin, called Homo luzonensis, the information propose that there were numerous bygone species that possessed the Philippines preceding the appearance modern people, and that these obsolete gatherings might have been hereditarily related.

Therefore I conclude that the Denisovan DNA has widely spread in the world. After reading this discovery, I was convinced that the Ayta Magbukon from the Philippines has the greatest population that inherited Denisovan DNA in the world. With this study, people are able to gain knowledge about different human species.

References: Luntz, S. (2021, August 15). Indigenous Group In The Philippines Has Most Denisovan DNA in the World. IFLScience. https://www.iflscience.com/editors-blog/indigenous-group-in-the-philippines-has-most-denisovan-dna-in-the-world/

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Denisovan DNA in Indigenous Tribes by Raenan Isabel Villa

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Denisovan DNA in Indigenous Tribes by Raenan Isabel Villa

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A research done by Uppsala University, led by Maximillian Larena and Mattias Jakobsson showed that one of our very own Indigenous tribes posses the very rare Denisovan DNA. The Denisovans are species of humans who have gone extinct for almost 50,000 years already. While no more traces pf them are walking around alive, there were DNA samples found on the remains of their pink bones and teeth which were found in the Denisova Cave of Siberia. Yet, although these traces were found in Siberia, many other studies, including the Uppsala University research, also stated that Denisovans ranged all across Asia.

In this research, it showed that the Philippine ethnic group named Ayta Magbunok showed a total range of 30% to 40% of the Denisovan DNA— the highest percentage in the world. As study suggests, Ayta Magbunoks were descendants of two  species of humans— Negritos (Filipino Natives) and the Denisovans.

Thus, it is proven through science that Ayta Magbunoks are descendants of Denisovans.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/08/210812123052.htm

https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/understanding/dtcgenetictesting/neanderthaldna/

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The Ayta Magbukon and their Denisovan DNA- By Francis Dayrit

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The Ayta Magbukon and their Denisovan DNA- By Francis Dayrit

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A vast majority of scientists believed in the essence of finding human evolution through a specific community of indigenous people, the Ayta Magbukon. Previously, the Papuan Highlanders, were known as the population who obtained the most of the Denisovan DNA.   However, in terms of Denisovan DNA and ancestry that we see today, the Ayta Magbukon are now known to carry the most.

At this day and age, we live in a more technological based world. The science in every step of our evolution is growing every single day. With that said, in terms of the proof of sample DNA’s that we have today, we now have a more efficient system in collecting this kind of data. Consequently, this was aided by a lot of institutions. These institutions such as the Commission for Culture and the Arts of the Philippines, indigenous cultural communities, local government units, local universities, and non-governmental organizations and many more analyzed about 118 ethnic groups and 2.3 million genotypes from those groups are tested.

Furthermore, this study led to Ayta Magbukon being known to possess the peak level of Denisovan DNA in this world. Subsequently, showered by this is the admixture event into Negritos from Denisovans. Furthermore, new studies suggest that Homo luzonesis, are present in data that explains multiple archaic species that inhabited the country. If so, this was a time when the Philippines from the arrival of modern humans, along with archaic communities that have been related on a genetical aspect.

SOURCE:
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/08/210812123052.htm

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Do you think the Philippine Ayta people have the most Denisovan DNA? -By Raymond Patangui

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Do you think the Philippine Ayta people have the most Denisovan DNA? -By Raymond Patangui

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I found on my research, according to a recent study headed by Uppsala University, the Philippine ethnic group Ayta Magbukon has the greatest proportion of genes from our lost cousins, the Denisovans. Their Denisovan population considerably outnumbers that of Papua New Guinean ethnic groups, who previously held the record.

For me, my opinion regarding whether Ayta people here in the Philippines, would not be justifiable because I don't have the necessary tools and equipment to conduct research if they do have the genes of this Denisovan DNA, But I think since, they aren't exposed to so much city life and technology, one might say that it is actually possible. Since they live in the depths of the mountain provinces. Since then, there is a high possibility that the genes that it contains might still exist to this day.

References:
Philippine ethnic group has most Denisovan DNA - Uppsala University, Sweden (uu.se)

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Philippine Ayta people have the most Denisovan DNA by Kathleen Joy Samocino

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Philippine Ayta people have the most Denisovan DNA by Kathleen Joy Samocino

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Indigenous people are commonly characterized as descendants and practitioners of unique cultures. One of the most well-known Indigenous groups in the Philippines is the Aeta, they live in northern Luzon. The Aeta were called Negritos during Spanish colonial rule and described as people who are dark to brown-skinned with curly afro-texture hair.

According to the article of Stephen Luntz, there is a new study discovered that the Ayta Magbukon people of the Bataan peninsula on Luzon island have the world’s highest proportion of Denisovan genes. Neanderthals and Denisovans have shaped the human genome through admixture. Denisovan concentrated in South East Asia and Australia. They Ayta Magbukon is said to possess 30% to 40% greeted Denisovan ancestry than their Australian and Papuan counterparts.

Therefore I conclude that  Philippine Ayta people have the most Denisovan DNA. Admixture commonly occurred in the Philippines. According to the support study, Philippine Negritos had much more contact and interbreeding with the rest of the world and were recently admixed with East Asian-related groups who also carry a part of Denisovan ancestry. Also, the study found out that Denisovans have a simple shared demographic history with modern humans through a single admixture with the ancestor of Australasians, this term is for the shared genetic ancestry between Philippines Negritos and Australopapuans. Lastly, Maximilian Larena, one of the study’s authors and researchers at Uppsala University, stated that Island Southeast Asia is still relatively underrepresented however, this may change in the future given the increased interest in the region. Their study supported by the recent discoveries on Homo luzonesis and homo floresiensis shows Island Southeast Asia at the forefront of research in human evolutionary history.

References:
https://www.iflscience.com/editors-blog/indigenous-group-in-the-philippines-has-most-denisovan-dna-in-the-world/
https://www.philstar.com/lifestyle/arts-and-culture/2021/08/20/2121429/philippines-ayta-found-have-worlds-highest-percentage-denisovan-ancestry

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Philippine Ethnic Group Ayta Magbukon have the most Denisovan DNA - By: Dorothy Ruth Thomas

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Philippine Ethnic Group Ayta Magbukon have the most Denisovan DNA - By: Dorothy Ruth Thomas

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Denisovans are an extinct group of hominins that became known to science in 2010. Archaeologists first saw remains of Denisovans in a Siberian cave. Regardless of their genetic formation, they still are a mystery. Scientists used DNA technology to know where they lived, what happened to them, how they interacted with one another, and how they looked. Based on the photo above, that is the first sketch of how they look. After tons of studies, the result shows how their genes are similar to Neanderthal and present-day humans.
On the other hand, based on preliminary findings, the Negritos in the Philippines, where the Ayta Magbukon belong, were the first modern hominins to stay on the island. When the Negritos admixed with other groups, it spread a little of the Denisovan DNA. From the 118 ethnic groups in the Philippines that they have analyzed, Ayta Magbukon Negritos were also included as the few people who interbred with other groups when they lived on the island. As a result, they retained most of their Denisovan genes, which contained the highest levels of Denisovan genes in the world.

References:

Callaway, E. (2019, September 19). First portrait of mysterious DENISOVANS drawn from DNA. Nature News. Retrieved September 14, 2021, from https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-019-02820-0.

Malmberg, Å. (n.d.). Philippine ethnic group has most Denisovan DNA. Philippine ethnic group has most Denisovan DNA - Uppsala University, Sweden. Retrieved September 14, 2021, from https://www.uu.se/en/news/article/?id=17306&typ=artikel.

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Do you think the Philippine Ayta people have the most Denisovan DNA?

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Do you think the Philippine Ayta people have the most Denisovan DNA?

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Denisovans are a mysterious group of hominids who have only been discovered through ancient DNA samples and remnants of that DNA that the ancient early humans shared when they interbred with modern humans. Most of their genetic imprint has been passed down to people who today reside on Southeast Asian islands, in neighboring Papua New Guinea, and Australia. Genetic data currently indicates that the Philippine Negrito ethnic group has acquired the greatest amount of Denisovan ancestry of any other ethnic group. According to a new study, indigenous people are known as the Ayta Magbukon receive around 5 percent of their DNA from Denisovans.

This discovery is consistent with an evolutionary scenario in which two or more Stone Age Denisovan populations independently reached various Southeast Asian islands, including the Philippines, as well as a landmass that included what is now Papua New Guinea, Australia, and Tasmania during the Stone Age. Although the exact dates of Denisovan arrival are uncertain, approximately 200,000-year-old stone tools discovered on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi may have been created by the people who lived there (SN: 1/13/16). H. sapiens populations that began arriving approximately 50,000 years ago or more interbred with Denisovans who had already settled in the area.

So, basically, yes, Ayta People have the most Denisovan DNA.

References:

https://www.technologynetworks.com/genomics/news/ethnic-group-in-the-philippines-have-highest-level-of-denisovan-dna-in-the-world-351974

https://www.the-scientist.com/news-opinion/indigenous-filipino-group-has-highest-known-denisovan-ancestry-69089

https://www.uu.se/en/news/article/?id=17306&typ=artikel

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Philippine Aeta People Have The Most Denisovan DNA by Christel V. Rodriguez

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Philippine Aeta People Have The Most Denisovan DNA by Christel V. Rodriguez

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There is a study that claims that a group of Indigenous People from the Philippines has attained to have the highest level of ancestry— ancient hominids known as Denisovans who interbred with modern humans in the past (ScienceDaily, 2021). Found in Bataan, the Ayta Magbukon possesses 30% to 40% of greater Denisovan ancestry compared to Australian and Papuan counterparts. The study was published by Scientific Journal Current Biology last August (PhilstarGlobal, 2021).

So I think that Philippine Aesta people have the most Denisovan DNA just based on the data that I have searched. I think physical attributes helped as well. There is a standard beauty here in our society. Filipina beauty as they call it but we all know that those beauties that we’re presented with were not even pureblooded Filipinos. Whenever we see aetas, I always think that that’s our real ancestry before the colonizers colonized us. So yes, I think Philippine Aesta possesses the most Denisovan DNA.

References:

Llemit, K. (2021, August 20). Philippines’ Ayta found to have world’s highest percentage of Denisovan ancestry. Philstar Global. https://www.philstar.com/lifestyle/arts-and-culture/2021/08/20/2121429/philippines-ayta-found-have-worlds-highest-percentage-denisovan-ancestry

Science Daily. (2021, August 12). Philippine Ayta people have the most Denisovan DNA, study finds. Science Daily. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/08/210812123052.htm

Picture Reference:

Safeguard Philippines. (2021, June 20). Filipino Ad on the Life of the First Aeta U.P. Grad Is a Love Letter to Moms[Aeta]. Filipino Ad on the Life of the First Aeta U.P. Grad Is a Love Letter to Moms. https://www.smartparenting.com.ph/life/inspiration/filipino-ad-is-a-love-letter-to-moms-aeta-up-grad-a1154-20180620

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Historical DNA of the PH Aytas in Magbukon - By Kosche Ropa

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Historical DNA of the PH Aytas in Magbukon - By Kosche Ropa

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According to ScienceDaily.com, researchers have known for a long time that ancient hominins known as Denisovans interbred with modern humans, based on multiple lines of evidence. Researchers have revealed that the Philippine Negrito ethnic group known as the Ayta Magbukon has the greatest level of Denisovan ancestry in the world, according to a study published in the journal Current Biology on August 12. They really have a lot more Denisovan DNA than the Papuan Highlanders, who were previously thought to be the population with the most Denisovan ancestry. According to the findings, Ayta Magbukon have the highest level of Denisovan ancestry in the globe, implying an independent mixing event between Negritos and Denisovans. The findings, together with the recent discovery of a small-bodied hominid known as Homo luzonensis, show that the Philippines was home to many archaic species prior to the arrival of modern humans, and that these archaic populations may have been genetically connected.

Overall, the findings reveal a complicated interconnected history of modern and archaic humans in the Asia-Pacific area, as separate Islander Denisovan groups variably admixed with entering Australasians across many locales and at different times, according to the researchers.

References:

Cell Press. (2021, August 12). Philippine Ayta people have the most Denisovan DNA, study finds. ScienceDaily. Retrieved September 13, 2021 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/08/210812123052.htm

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The Denisovans were an extinct archaic human subspecies that roamed Asia throughout the Lower and Middle Paleolithic periods. Denisovans are only known from a few remains, thus DNA evidence accounts for the majority of what we know about them. Denisovans also are a mysterious species only known from ancient DNA samples and remnants of that DNA shared by ancient hominids and Homo sapiens during interbreeding.

Now, do i think that the Philippine Aeta people have the most Denisovans DNA? My answer is Yes, Why? because According to a study from Scientific Journal Current Biology, Ayta Magbukon ethnic group in the Philippines has the greatest level of Denisovan heritage in the world. As a matter of fact, they have much more Denisovan DNA than the Papuan Highlanders, who were previously thought to have the largest Denisovan heritage. 2.3 million genotypes from 118 ethnic groups in the Philippines were studied by Uppsala University and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts of the Philippines (NCCA). Ayta Magbukon is found in Bataan, and with the recent it is said that they dominated around 40% of Denisovan ancestry than their Australian and Papuan counterparts.

Reference:

https://www.philstar.com/lifestyle/arts-and-culture/2021/08/20/2121429/philippines-ayta-found-have-worlds-highest-percentage-denisovan-ancestry

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denisovan

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The Denisovans Within: The Philippine Ayta Magbukon and their Denisovan DNA

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The Denisovans Within: The Philippine Ayta Magbukon and their Denisovan DNA

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Discovered only around a decade ago, the Denisovans is an extinct group of hominin that was first identified from a female finger bone in a Siberian cave.

Throughout the years, scientists thought that modern humans who have the highest Denisovan DNA lived in Papua New Guinea and Australia. However, new findings were published in August 2021 stating that the indigenous Filipino group of Philippine Ayta Magbukon have the most Denisovan DNA. By the collaboration of the Uppsala University of Sweden, the National Commission for Culture and the Arts of the Philippines (NCCA), and other local groups and organizations, it was found out that the Ayta Magbukon carry the highest level of Denisovan DNA in the world after examining the DNA of 1,107 individuals who belong to 118 different Philippines ethnic groups with 2.3 million genotypes. According to Dr. Maximilian Larena, discoveries like this is important because it will help us understand better our inherited archaic traits that influenced our human biology.

While I am completely aware of the possibility of many more new discoveries to come, as a person who believes in science and research, I believe that the Philippine Ayta have the most Denisovan DNA simply because that is what our scientists said with the most recent available data that we have. These scientists went to the Philippines to examine the DNA of various Filipino people from different ethnic groups. Hence, the said statement is backed up by different examinations and studies making it objective, factual, and worth-believing.

REFERENCES:

Melchor, A. (n.d.). Indigenous Filipino Group Has Highest Known Denisovan Ancestry. Retrieved from https://www.the-scientist.com/news-opinion/indigenous-filipino-group-has-highest-known-denisovan-ancestry-69089

Llemit, K. A. (2021, August 20). Philippines' Ayta found to have world's highest percentage of Denisovan ancestry . Retrieved from https://www.philstar.com/lifestyle/arts-and-culture/2021/08/20/2121429/philippines-ayta-found-have-worlds-highest-percentage-denisovan-ancestry

Philippine Ayta people have the most Denisovan DNA, study finds. (2021, August 12). Retrieved from https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/08/210812123052.htm

Ethnic Group in the Philippines Have Highest Level of Denisovan DNA in the World. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.technologynetworks.com/genomics/news/ethnic-group-in-the-philippines-have-highest-level-of-denisovan-dna-in-the-world-351974

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A Denisovan DNA is rooted from one of the earliest archaic humans in Western Asia and Europe. History has already taught how migration started to transpire as one of the ways for people to survive. Interbreeding between different ethnicities was probable and one of its product is the ethnicity of the Igorot people and they have been discovered to have the highest level of Denisovan DNA, according to researchers who report in the journal: Current Biology. Nonetheless, it should be acknowledged that this tribe is just one of the uncertain amount of tribes in the Philippines, of which some are yet to be discovered, or never.

references: •https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/understanding/dtcgenetictesting/neanderthaldna/
•https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/08/210812123052.htm

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A Denisovan DNA is rooted from one of the earliest archaic humans in Western Asia and Europe. History has already taught how migration started to transpire as one of the ways for people to survive. Interbreeding between different ethnicities was probable and one of its product is the ethnicity of the Igorot people as they have been discovered to have the highest level of Denisovan DNA, according to researchers who report in the journal: Current Biology. Nonetheless, it should be acknowledged that this tribe is just one of the uncertain amount of tribes in the Philippines, in which some are yet to be discovered, or never.

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DENISOVANS GENETIC IMPRINT | BERNARD CATACUTAN (BERN-C)

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DENISOVANS GENETIC IMPRINT | BERNARD CATACUTAN (BERN-C)

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Do you think the Philippine Ayta people have the most Denisovan DNA?

Yes, according to (Bower, 2021), Denisovans are known mainly as ancient DNA samples and traces of that sample are from interbreeds of hominids and Homo sapiens. These DNA samples can be seen mostly from Southeast Asian islands, nearby Papua New Guinea and Australia as they left a bigger genetic imprint on people who lived in these places. And according to scientist/researchers, one of the indigenous people that has a Denisovans DNA genetic imprint was seen to the Ayta Magbukun that belongs to a Philippine Negrito ethnic group, which they’ve seen 5 percent of Denisovans on their DNA.

This discovery was evolutionary as it seems that in the stone-age where there was no advanced transportation, they managed to travel far up in different regions and places. It was one of the stepping stones of knowing the past and discovering our ancestors' lives. It is amazing that our technological advancements are continuously improving and that years will come that a clear picture of the past will continue to give us more astonishing discoveries.

In conclusion, the Philippines have a significant relation with the past, and as we observe, we are different and outstanding from most things. We are unique in our own, and very intellectual beings. It is amazing to know that our ancestors have a genetic imprint from the popular ancient peoples.

Reference/s:
An Indigenous people in the Philippines have the most Denisovan DNA | Science News

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Denisovans are an elusive bunch, known mainly from ancient DNA samples and traces of that DNA that the ancient hominids shared when they interbred with Homo sapiens. They left their biggest genetic imprint on people who now live in Southeast Asian islands, nearby Papua New Guinea and Australia. Genetic evidence now shows that a Philippine Negrito ethnic group has inherited the most Denisovan ancestry of all. Indigenous people known as the Ayta Magbukon get around 5 percent of their DNA from Denisovans, a new study finds.

This finding fits an evolutionary scenario in which two or more Stone Age Denisovan populations independently reached various Southeast Asian islands, including the Philippines and a landmass that consisted of what's now Papua New Guinea, Australia and Tasmania. Exact arrival dates are unknown, but nearly 200,000-year-old stone tools found on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi may have been made by Denisovans ( SN: 1/13/16). H. sapiens groups that started arriving around 50,000 years ago or more then interbred with resident Denisovans.

Evolutionary geneticists Maximilian Larena and Mattias Jakobsson, both at Uppsala University in Sweden, and their team describe the new evidence August 12 in Current Biology.

Even as the complexities of ancient interbreeding in Southeast Asia become clearer, Denisovans remain a mysterious crowd. "It's unclear how the different Denisovan groups on the mainland and on Southeast Asian islands were related [to each other] and how genetically diverse they were," Jakobsson says.

Papua New Guinea highlanders - estimated to carry close to 4 percent Denisovan DNA in the new study - were previously thought to be the modern record holders for Denisovan ancestry. But the Ayta Magbukon display roughly 30 percent to 40 percent more Denisovan ancestry than Papua New Guinea highlanders and Indigenous Australians, Jakobsson says. That calculation accounts for recent mating of East Asians with Philippine Negrito groups, including the Ayta Magbukon, that diluted Denisovan inheritance to varying degrees.

Genetic analyses suggest that Ayta Magbukon people retain slightly more Denisovan ancestry than other Philippine Negrito groups due to having mated less often with East Asian migrants to the island around 2,281 years ago, the scientists say. Their genetic analyses compared ancient DNA from Denisovans and Neandertals with that of 1,107 individuals from 118 ethnic groups in the Philippines, including 25 Negrito populations. Comparisons were then made to previously collected DNA from present-day Papua New Guinea highlanders and Indigenous Australians.

The new report underscores that "still today there are populations that have not been fully genetically described and that Denisovans were geographically widespread," says paleogeneticist Cosimo Posth of the University of Tübingen in Germany, who was not part of the new research.

But it's too early to say whether Stone Age Homo fossils found on Southeast Asian islands come from Denisovans, populations that interbred with Denisovans or other Homo lineages, Posth says. Only DNA extracted from those fossils can resolve that issue, he adds. Unfortunately, ancient DNA preserves poorly in fossils from tropical climates.

Only a handful of confirmed Denisovan fossils exist. Those consist of a few fragmentary specimens from a Siberian cave where Denisovans lived from around 300,000 to 50,000 years ago ( SN: 1/30/19), and a roughly 160,000-year-old partial jaw found on the Tibetan Plateau ( SN: 5/1/19).

Fossils from the Philippines initially classed as H. luzonensis, dating to 50,000 years ago or more ( SN: 4/10/19), might actually represent Denisovans. But a lack of consensus on what Denisovans looked like leaves the evolutionary identity of those fossils uncertain.

Larena and Jakobsson's findings "further increase my suspicions that Denisovan fossils are hiding in plain sight" among previously excavated discoveries on Southeast Asian islands, says population geneticist João Teixeira of the University of Adelaide in Australia, who did not participate in the new study.

Denisovans may have genetically encompassed H. luzonensis and two other fossil hominids found on different Southeast Asian islands, H. floresiensis on Flores and H. erectus on Java, Teixeira suspects. H. floresiensis, or hobbits, survived from at least 100,000 years ago to around 60,000 years ago ( SN: 6/8/16). H. erectus arrived on Java about 1.6 million years ago and died out between 117,000 and 108,000 years ago ( SN: 12/18/19).

Geographic ancestry patterns on Southeastern Asian islands and in Australia suggest that this region was settled by a genetically distinct Denisovan population from southern parts of mainland East Asia, Teixeira and his colleagues reported in the May Nature Ecology & Evolution.

Questions or comments on this article? E-mail us at feedback@sciencenews.org

Bruce Bower has written about the behavioral sciences for Science News since 1984. He writes about psychology, anthropology, archaeology and mental health issues.

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An Indigenous people in the Philippines have the most Denisovan DNA

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Denisovans are an elusive bunch, known mainly from ancient DNA samples and traces of that DNA that the ancient hominids shared when they interbred with Homo sapiens. They left their biggest genetic imprint on people who now live in Southeast Asian islands, nearby Papua New Guinea and Australia.

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Ayta found in Denisovan DNA.

The Neanderthals and Denisovans have great impact on the human genome (especially teeth and immune systems). Denisovans were found through mitochondrial DNA from a finger bone of a female denisovan. It has a simple demographic history where it is mixed with the ancestors of Australasians (term used for shared ancestry of Negritos and Australopapuans).

While this has been a mystery before, researchers from Current Biology journal have identified that Ayta in the Philippines have the highest percentage of Denisovan ancestry despite the fact that they are from East-Asian related group of people - they have more than the Papuan Highlanders (which were considered a high percentage before). They have at least 30%-40% more than the other admixture. The study's purpose is to record the demographic history of the Philippines, including its heritage, origin, indigenous communities, etc.

With the study presented and the findings, I believe that the Ayta have the most Denisovan DNA. This means that they retained their ancestry and that the Denisovans have inhabited the Southeast Asian part of the world.

Reference: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/human-evolution/news/2021/aug/philippine-ayta-possess-highest-level-denisovan-ancestry-world#:~:text=We%20show%20that%20Ayta%20Magbukon,event%20into%20Negritos%20from%20Denisovans.

https://www.philstar.com/lifestyle/arts-and-culture/2021/08/20/2121429/philippines-ayta-found-have-worlds-highest-percentage-denisovan-ancestry

https://www.sciencenews.org/article/indigenous-people-philippines-denisovan-dna-genetics

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Do you think the Philippine Ayta people have the most Denisovan DNA? Explain your answer.

The Philippine Negritos, or aetas "eye-tas," are thought to be the first human settlers in the Philippines. Many historians regard them as Australo-Melanesian people. They are indigenous people with rich cultures and beliefs. According to Ronica Valdeavilla (2018), Aetas are hunting and gathering indigenous people who are skilled in jungle survival and have a talent for herbal medicine. The Denisovans, on the other hand, are the first ancient hominin species discovered solely through genetic analysis, rather than through fossil classification (Dorey, 2020). Denisovans are extinct fossil humans who, like their sister group, the Neanderthals, had a common ancestor with Homo sapiens (Groeneveld, 2021).

To answer the question above, I would say that Philippine Ayta had the most Denisovan DNA, based on resources from various articles. According to sciencedaily.com, various researchers have reported that the Philippine Negrito ethnic group, also known as Ayta Magbukon, has the highest level of Denisovan ancestry or DNA in the world when compared to the Papuan Highlanders (Cell Press, 2021). Experts estimate that the Ayta Magbukon people have 5% Denisovan ancestry, which is 30-40% higher than that of Papuans and Australians. According to their findings, in addition to having the highest level of Denisovan ancestry in the world, Ayta Magbukon appears to be the result of an independent admixture event between Negritos and Denisovans. The findings, along with the recent discovery of a small-bodied hominin known as Homo luzonensis, indicate that the Philippines was home to multiple archaic species prior to the arrival of modern humans, and that these archaic groups may have been genetically related.

Their groundbreaking findings or discoveries with indigenous peoples and in the country only demonstrate the importance of appreciating every tribe or ethnic group that our country has, as well as demonstrates that there are things that we Filipinos should be aware of, investigate, and value, because we never know what new discoveries await us.

References:

Cell Press. (2021, August 12). Philippine Ayta people have the most Denisovan DNA, study finds. ScienceDaily. Retrieved September 12, 2021 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/08/210812123052.htm

Dorey, F. (2020, April 20). The Denisovans. Retrieved September 12, 2021, from https://australian.museum/learn/science/human-evolution/the-denisovans/

Groeneveld, E. (2021, September 11). Denisovan. Retrieved September 12, 2021, from https://www.worldhistory.org/Denisovan/

Valdeavilla, R. (2018, May 15). The aeta: The first Philippine people. Retrieved September 12, 2021, from https://theculturetrip.com/asia/philippines/articles/the-aeta-the-first-philippine-people/

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The Ayta Magbukon of the Philippines and their Denisovan ancestors | Carla Corrales

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The Ayta Magbukon of the Philippines and their Denisovan ancestors | Carla Corrales

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According to a study, the Ayta Magbukon people of the Bataan peninsula on Luzon Island, the Philippines, have the world’s highest proportion of Denisovan genes, despite decades of interbreeding with Luzon's later arrivals. Dr. Maximilian Larena, a researcher in the Department of Organismal Biology at Uppsala University looked at the archaic ancestry of 1,107 people from 118 different ethnic groups in the Philippines, including 25 different self-identified Negrito populations, as well as Australiapapuans and Ayta Magbukon Negrito genomes with high coverage. Dr. Larena said that their Denisovan ancestry can be up to 46% greater than that of Australians and Papuans. This is the fourth known connection between Denisovans and contemporary humans, according to the discovery. It also suggests that the ancient people that lived on the islands of Southeast Asia were Denisovan ancestors, and that some of them may have shared a common ancestor with modern humans. This finding is intriguing and significant because the Ayta Magbukon have had far more contact and interbreeding with the outside world than the Papuan highlanders, who have been essentially isolated until recently. The admixture led to variable levels of Denisovan ancestry in the genomes of Philippine Negritos and Papuans.

Reference:
Luntz, S. (2021, August 15). Indigenous Group In The Philippines Has Most Denisovan DNA in the World. Retrieved September 12, 2021, from https://www.iflscience.com/editors-blog/indigenous-group-in-the-philippines-has-most-denisovan-dna-in-the-world/

Philippine Ayta Magbukon People Have Highest Amount of Denisovan DNA in the World | Genetics, Paleoanthropology | Sci-News.com. (2021). Retrieved September 12, 2021, from http://www.sci-news.com/genetics/ayta-magbukon-denisovan-dna-09957.html

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Denisovan Lives in Ayta's DNA | Wilson Pelaez Jr.

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Denisovan Lives in Ayta's DNA | Wilson Pelaez Jr.

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Ayta, I believe, has the most significant percentage of Denisovan DNA. The Ayta Magbukon, who is primarily located in Bataan, is estimated to have 30% to 40% more Denisovan heritage than their Australian and Papuan counterparts, according to Philstar Global. Denisovans are a long-extinct species that were initially discovered in 2010. It was found using mitochondrial DNA from a juvenile female finger bone from the Denisova cave in Siberia, Russia, after which it was named. Only Pacific Islanders and Southeast Asians, according to Gizmodo, have significant Denisovan ancestry people of African and European heritage have no Denisovan ancestry, while most people in other parts of mainland Asia have less than 0.05 percent.

The researchers looked at the genomes of 1,107 people from 118 different ethnic groups in the Philippines, including 25 tribes that self-identify as "Negritos," who are thought to be the Philippines' oldest modern human occupants, according to the study's authors. They discovered that while the degree of Neanderthal ancestry in their study population was reasonably uniform (and comparable to modern humans in other parts of the world), the degree of Denisovan origin was highly variable and significantly higher among Negritos than in other groups by comparing these genomes to Denisovan and Neanderthal genomes. These findings support the idea of a single interbreeding event between Negritos and Denisovans in the Philippines, implying that Denisovans may have been in the Philippines long before any modern human ethnic group.

According to the articles I read, Ayta is the only people that have Denisovan DNA. The scientists and researchers available on the internet and in books clearly demonstrate this. Well, in my opinion, Ayta has this kind of revelation because they are instinctive and have spent many years in the mountains. The culture has been passed down through the centuries. Their culture has been kept and preserved.

Reference:
https://www.philstar.com/lifestyle/arts-and-culture/2021/08/20/2121429/philippines-ayta-found-have-worlds-highest-percentage-denisovan-ancestry

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Denisovan DNA: It's more than we know                - Dennett Porle 

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Denisovan DNA: It's more than we know                - Dennett Porle 

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A recent study shows that Aeta from the Philippines possesses the highest level of Denisovan ancestry in the world. It displays 30%-40% greater Denisovan ancestry compared to previous studies. With our technology today there are a lot of possibilities tracing genetic is more advanced compared to what we have today previous. Before we used to believe in Neanderthal ancestry but now with new discoveries we found that there is a Denisovan ancestry. For Neanderthal ancestry, it can be traced back to Eurasians but Denisovan ancestry is elevated uniquely to Australasians. Negritos in the Philippines displays significant levels of Denisovan Ancestry. Dr. Maximillian Larena with his colleagues aimed to establish a demographic history of the Philippines. They found out that Ayta Magbukon possesses the highest amount of Denisovan ancestry. I think continuous study about tribes in southeast Asia could help scientists discover more of what they have now. But if they have evidence that proves the highest levels of Denisovan ancestry are found in Aeta's in the Philippines then I will believe it and be proud that our Aeta's have a trace of historical DNA. An increase in the levels of Denisovan Ancestry can be caused by Negritos admixed with East Asian related groups that carry little Denisovan DNA. I believe that with science there are endless possibilities of what is there to discover around us, who knows maybe there are hidden tribes out there that we are not aware of having a higher level of Denisovan DNA. It's just a matter of a new discovery over another for me that is how science works people believe in facts that they can see till the next discovery and proceed with life.

Reference:
http://www.sci-news.com/genetics/ayta-magbukon-denisovan-dna-09957.html

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Ayta people in the Philippines | GERHARD JOREN/LIGHTROCKET VIA GETTY IMAGES

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Science confirms, Philippine Ayta Magbukon has the highest level of Denisovan ancestry | David, Shoun Nicholas A.

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Science confirms, Philippine Ayta Magbukon has the highest level of Denisovan ancestry | David, Shoun Nicholas A.

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Denisovans or Denisova hominins are extinct species of archaic humans. It is said that they have wandered the land during the Lower and Middle Paleolithic. Primarily, Denisovans are known through DNA evidences gathered from various locations around the globe. The earliest discovery of these species was in 2010 wherein a juvenile female finger bone was found inside the Siberian Denisovan Cave in the Altai Mountains.

According to studies, Denisovans are known to have inhabited in Siberia. However, traces of Denisovan DNA in modern humans suggests that they have journeyed across East Asia. Denisovans left their biggest genetic imprint on people who now live in Southeast Asian islands, most specifically in Papua New Guinea and Australia. But most importantly, through genetic studies, it has been discovered that the Philippine Negrito ethnic group, the Ayta Magbukon, has inherited most of the Denisovan ancestry. They were examined to have 5% of their DNA from Denisovans. According to Uppsala University, the Philippine Negrito's Denisovan ancestry can be up to 46% greater than that of Australians and Papuans.

Sources:
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/08/210812123052.htm

https://www.sciencenews.org/article/indigenous-people-philippines-denisovan-dna-genetics

http://www.sci-news.com/genetics/ayta-magbukon-denisovan-dna-09957.html

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DENISOVAN DNA IN AETAS - JERICALIZABETH CANDAVA

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DENISOVAN DNA IN AETAS - JERICALIZABETH CANDAVA

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A slice of pinky bone discovered in Siberia over a decade ago exposed the world to a strange new species of ancient human, soon after it was called Denisovan. Multiple evidence suggested that Modern humans interbred with ancient Denisovans. For the first time, in 2010 Denisovan and Neanderthal DNA was found to be entirely sequenced, which suggests the initial conclusion that these two DNAs were interbreeding with our Homo sapiens ancestors.

Upon researching, I could say that the Philippine Ayta have the most Denisovan DNA in light of the fact that according to the study of Larena, M. et. al., (2021) Ayta Magbukon have the greatest amount of Denisovan ancestry in the world—30%–40% higher than Australians and Papuans—which is compatible with an independent mixing event into Negritos from Denisovans.Based on the discovery, together with previous findings of new forms of archaic people in the Philippines and Indonesia, suggests that Southeast Asia might play an important role in unraveling human ancestry.

Sources:

Llemit, K. A. (2021, August 20). Philippines’ Ayta found to have world’s highest percentage of Denisovan ancestry. Philstar.Com. https://www.philstar.com/lifestyle/arts-and-culture/2021/08/20/2121429/philippines-ayta-found-have-worlds-highest-percentage-denisovan-ancestry

Hunt, K. C. (2021, August 16). Denisovan discoveries: New clue to human evolution’s biggest mystery emerges. CNN. https://edition.cnn.com/2021/08/16/world/denisovan-dna-philippines-scn/index.html

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Before I go straight into expounding if the people of Ayta in the Philippines really do have the most Denisovan DNA, what is Denisovan DNA? Together with Neanderthals, Denisovans are generally the percentage of the DNA that an individual has procured from ancestral human beings.

The Neanderthals were the very first archaic humans who are known to have lived in Europe and Western Asia, about 400,00 years ago until they go extinct 40,000 years ago. Denisovans on the other hand were far related to the Neanderthals, their group of people was located in Asia. According to scientists, there are a certain amount of people living today that procured the genetics of these ancestors due to modern humans extended over with Neanderthal and Denisovan in a period of time.

Now, Aytas are believed to be the first and earliest people or inhabitants of the Philippines. According to historians, the Aytas are considered to be ab Australo-Melanesians. Based on the historical accounts, they are most likely to be the same group as those Aborigines that were populated in Australia and Melanesians of the Solomon Islands. The “Bering Land Bridge Theory” is one explanation that historians believed why Aytas were able to land in the Philippines.

Unlike the Neanderthals, there were only a few studies about Denisovans due to the difficulty of discovering their fossils. But one milestone in the field of science that changes the perspective of everything, out of 120 ethnic groups in the Philippines that took part in the study and analysis of genomes, the Ayta Magbukon resulted to possess the highest level of DNA that the Denisovans had in the entire world. In comparison with the DNA that the Papuan Highlanders have, the Aytas Magbukon surpasses them and sets a new historical discovery. Maximilian Larena a scientist of Uppsala University said that the Denisovan DNA of Aytas are 46% greater than that of Australians and Papuans.

References:
https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/understanding/dtcgenetictesting/neanderthaldna/

https://theculturetrip.com/asia/philippines/articles/the-aeta-the-first-philippine-people/

https://www.technologynetworks.com/genomics/news/ethnic-group-in-the-philippines-have-highest-level-of-denisovan-dna-in-the-world-351974

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The Ancient DNA Lives On by Barbara Carpio

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The Ancient DNA Lives On by Barbara Carpio

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Denisovans are early humans who resided in Asia and were distantly related to Neanderthals; little research exists about them because few fossils from this population have been uncovered. They are known from ancient DNA samples found in Homo Sapiens. Maximilian Larena and Mattias Jakobsson led the international team of evolutionary geneticists from Uppsala University in Sweden. They examined 2.3 million genetic samples taken from 118 Philippine Island ethnic groups which found out that Ayta’s do have the most Denisovan DNA at 5%.

How did Denisovan come to interbreed in the Philippines? According to studies about more than 100 millenniums ago, Denisovans living in East Asia crossed the waters of the Western Pacific Ocean and settled on one of the many islands in the region which included the Philippines. A study showed that Negritos (the ethnic group to which the Ayta’s belong to) stumbled across Denisovans living there which sprung an interbreeding within the two groups resulting in the Denisovan ancestry present in the Aytan Magbukon genome. Genetic analyses suggest that Ayta Magbukon people retain slightly more Denisovan ancestry compared to other Philippine Negrito groups because they did not mate as often with East Asian migrants. “Their genetic analyses compared ancient DNA from Denisovans and Neandertals with that of 1,107 individuals from 118 ethnic groups in the Philippines, including 25 Negrito populations. Comparisons were then made to previously collected DNA from present-day Papua New Guinea highlanders and Indigenous Australians.”

Primates became extinct because of the assimilation of the modern human (homo sapiens) DNA as well as their inability to adapt to biological factors. Although extinct, ancient DNAs still run within modern human beings because of its deep relation to one another which made it possible to interbreed. Ancient DNA, like the Denisovan DNA, continues to contribute to the evolution of modern humans.

Sources:

https://www.sciencenews.org/article/indigenous-people-philippines-denisovan-dna-genetics

https://www.uu.se/en/news/article/?id=17306&typ=artikel

https://filipinotimes.net/latest-news/2021/08/18/philippines-ayta-group-found-to-have-highest-level-of-denisovans-dna/

https://www.ancient-origins.net/news-evolution-human-origins/most-denisovan-dna-0015692

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Highest Denisovan DNA: The Ayta people of the Philippines | Belan, Clayton Kyle A.

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Highest Denisovan DNA: The Ayta people of the Philippines | Belan, Clayton Kyle A.

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Yes, According to Larena and colleagues, they set out to demonstrate the Philippines' demographic history in their new study. Through a collaboration of the Philippines' National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), They analyzed about 2.3 million genotypes from 118 ethnic groups in the Philippines, including diverse self-identified Negrito populations, with the help of indigenous cultural communities, local universities, local government units, non-governmental organizations, and regional offices of the National Commission for Indigenous Peoples. AustraloPapuans and Ayta Magbukon Negritos genomes with good coverage were also included in the collection.

According to the findings, Ayta Magbukon have the highest amount of Denisovan ancestry in the globe, implying a separate mixing event between Negritos and Denisovans. The findings, along with the recent discovery of a small-bodied hominid known as Homo luzonensis, imply that the Philippines was home to numerous archaic species prior to the advent of modern humans, and that these archaic populations may have been genetically linked. The Ayta Magbukon in the Philippines now have the greatest degree of Denisovan heritage in the world, according to experts. They really have a lot more Denisovan DNA than the Papuan Highlanders, who were previously thought to be the population with the most Denisovan heritage.

References:
National Commission for Culture and the Arts of the Philippines, Jakobsson, M., & Uppsala University of Sweden. (2021, August 21). Philippine Ayta people have the most Denisovan DNA, study finds. Science Daily. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/08/210812123052.htm

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Aeta's Denisovian DNA, The Missing Piece

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Aeta's Denisovian DNA, The Missing Piece

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Denisovians, an early human subspecies were first discovered in a Siberian cave using just one fingerbone fossil. They were closely related to the Neanderthals, originated in the Tibetan area, then later migrating to the South East Asian regions (Papua New Guniea, Australia, New Zealand).

An astonishing discovery by Uppsala University of Sweden and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts of the Philippines (NCCA), along with other research contributors showed that the Aeta Magbukon community of the Philippines had an interesting gene pool. It was discovered that they had 5% of their genes from the Denisovian human species. Prior to that, Papuans and Aboriginal Australians were the community with the most known genes (4%).

This was an unexpected result as Philippine communities had a watered down gene pool due to mating with early East Asian species, so it wasn't an assumption that Aetas would retain their genes. Interestingly enough, this countered all of their expectations and helped them understand the past even more.

This just showed how far and wide Denisovians have travelled to habituate in different parts of the world. This can also solve problems on finding out what happened to our early ancestors.

Sources:
https://edition.cnn.com/2021/08/16/world/denisovan-dna-philippines-scn/index.html
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/08/210812123052.htm

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Denisovan DNA: Looking Forward by Looking Back

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Denisovan DNA: Looking Forward by Looking Back

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Denisovans or Denisova hominis was the name given to a few bone fragments found in the Denisova cave in the Altai Mountains of Siberia. Less is known about this archaic human than Neanderthals or Homo sapiens due to a lack of fossils, yet more could be uncovered about them through DNA tests and sampling (Wei-Haas, 2021). In the National Geographic article, it was also stated that “Denisovan predecessors likely split from their Neanderthal relatives at least 400,000 years ago”, with Neanderthals spreading throughout Europe and the Middle East whereas Denisovans inhabited Asia (Wei-Haas, 2021). There, Denisovans likely bred with Homo sapiens and/or with the ancestors of modern Asians in what geneticists call “admixture” (Hunt, 2021) which may explain how and why this DNA managed to carry over to today.

According to a study by the Cell Press, researchers found that the Philippine Negrito ethnic group known as the Ayta Magbukon, have the high level of Denisovan ancestry (Cell Press, 2021), amounting to 5 percent, which is 1 percent higher than the Aboriginal Australians and Papuans (Hunt, 2021). This study, along with partnership of institutions like National Commission for Culture and Arts of the Philippines, National Commission on Indigenous People, and several local government units, NGOs, and indigenous communities, managed to uncover this finding by analyzing 2.3 million genotypes from 118 ethnic groups of the Philippines including diverse self-identified Negrito populations. The diluted ancestry was likely due to the Philippine Negrito admixing with other East-Asian related groups that had little Denisovan DNA and perhaps if they hadn’t, the Philippine Negrito could have Denisovan ancestry be 46 percent higher than Australians and Papuans. With Philippine Negritos possessing the highest Denisovan ancestry in the world as of now, it begs the question of what sort of archaic tracts they inherit because some these may be beneficial to the modern human, such as the case when researchers found that non-African populations had up to two percent Neanderthal DNA which had beneficial tracts that help guard against infectious diseases (Wei-Haas, 2021). Other researchers have uncovered that Denisovan ancestry is so diverse, that it may have developed their own distinct groups; the New Guinea Denisovans may be different from the Denisovans in the Altai Cave which opens up the possibility that the Denisovans in Southeast Asia may be a distinct group as well (Wei-Haas, 2021). Scientists and researchers are excited to do further research given that Southeast Asia is one of the most underrepresented in terms of archaic ancestry and the recent discovery of 50,000 year old Homo luzonensis of the Philippines and the 700,000 Homo floresiensis of Indonesia shows them there is more to uncover about man’s origins.

REFERENCES:

Cell Press. (2021, August 12). Philippine Ayta people have the most Denisovan DNA, study finds. ScienceDaily. Retrieved September 5, 2021 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/08/210812123052.htm

Hunt, K. (2021, August 16). New clue to Human EVOLUTION'S biggest MYSTERY emerges in Philippines. CNN. https://edition.cnn.com/2021/08/16/world/denisovan-dna-philippines-scn/index.html.

Wei-Haas, M. (2021, May 3). Multiple lines of mysterious ancient humans interbred with us. Science. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/enigmatic-human-relative-outlived-neanderthals.

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Human evolution's mysteries emerges in the Philippines?! | Carlos Miguel A. Reyes

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Human evolution's mysteries emerges in the Philippines?! | Carlos Miguel A. Reyes

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To begin with let us see momentarily where we are at present with understanding human advancement. Neanderthals (the 'th' articulated as 't') are our nearest wiped out human family member. Some characterizing provisions of their skulls incorporate the huge center piece of the face, calculated cheek bones, and an immense nose for humidifying and warming chilly, dry air. Their bodies were more limited and stockier than our own, one more variation to living in cool conditions. In any case, their minds were similarly pretty much as extensive as our own and frequently bigger - relative to their brawnier bodies.

Neanderthals made and utilized an assorted arrangement of modern devices, controlled fire, lived in covers, made and wore clothing, were gifted trackers of enormous creatures and furthermore ate plant food varieties, and sometimes made representative or decorative articles. There is proof that Neanderthals purposely covered their dead and sporadically even denoted their graves with contributions, like blossoms. No different primates, and no prior human species, had at any point polished this refined and representative conduct.

DNA has been recuperated from in excess of twelve Neanderthal fossils, all from Europe; the Neanderthal Genome Project is one of the astonishing new spaces of human starting points research.

Then again, Denisovans exists.

Almost 10 years prior, a scrap of pinky bone found in Siberia acquainted the world with a confusing new sort of antiquated human. Called Denisovans, after the name of the collapse the Altai Mountains where the bone was tracked down, these old family members of the Neanderthals possessed Asia for a huge number of years—yet no fossil hint of them has been discovered save that finger bone, a couple of teeth, and a piece of skull, all from Denisova cave.

An investigation distributed today in Cell adds an astounding new wind to their secret: DNA from an enormous testing of living southeast Asians recommends that the spooky Denisovans might be not one, but rather three particular sorts of human, one of which is nearly as not the same as other Denisovans as they are from Neanderthals.

Furthermore, while the Denisovans lived close by people for centuries, one gathering might have outlived even the Neanderthals, who vanished around 40,000 years prior. As per the investigation, these Denisovans existed together and blended in with present day people in New Guinea until no less than 30,000 years prior—yet maybe as of late as 15,000 years prior—a date that, whenever affirmed, implies Denisovans were simply the last realized people save to walk the Earth.

Seeing the entirety of this we may think why they are associated with the Philippine islands? Since the disclosures various distributing recommends that fossils have been found around Asia. Hence, an exploration about the revelation of Denisovans arose. The lone conclusive fossil proof that focuses to the presence of Denisovans - a cryptic gathering of early people initially recognized in 2010 - comes from five bones from the Denisova collapse the lower regions of Siberia's Altai mountains.

The parts are little to the point that they would all be able to fit in the palm of one individual's hand.

Presently, DNA from 3,000 miles (4,828 kilometers) away in the Philippines is revealing more insight into human development's greatest secret.

New examination distributed Thursday has tracked down that a Philippine ethnic gathering known as the Ayta Magbukon has the most elevated known degree of Denisovan lineage on the planet.

Denisovan DNA lives on in certain people today on the grounds that, when our Homo sapien precursors experienced the Denisovans, they engaged in sexual relations with them and brought forth coddles - something geneticists call admixture. By breaking down current-day hereditary information, we can think once again into mankind's set of experiences. All the more thus, the examination tracked down that the Ayta Magbukon had around 5% Denisovan heritage, more than Aboriginal Australians and Papuans, whom past research found to have around 4%, said Mattias Jakobsson, a geneticist at Uppsala University in Sweden and a creator of the investigation.

Denisovan ancestory is likewise present in numerous East Asian individuals - despite the fact that at a much lower level, different investigations have found.

Ayta Magbukon have a place with a more extensive gathering of individuals in the Philippines that recognize as Negritos, Jakobsson said.

Albeit not supreme, because of Pangea it isn't improbable that at least two landmasses were together permitting early man to venture out starting with one point then onto the next so looking at the distance today as I would like to think is less legitimate.

https://humanorigins.si.edu/evidence/human-fossils/species/homo-neanderthalensis
https://edition.cnn.com/2021/08/16/world/denisovan-dna-philippines-scn/index.html
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/enigmatic-human-relative-outlived-neanderthals

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Researchers have known for a long time that ancient hominins known as Denisovans interbred with modern humans, based on multiple lines of evidence. Researchers have revealed that the Philippine Negrito ethnic group known as the Ayta Magbukon has the greatest level of Denisovan ancestry in the world, according to a study published in the journal Current Biology on August 12, 2021.

Larena and colleagues, including Mattias Jakobsson, set out to reconstruct the Philippines' demographic history in the new study. Uppsala University in Sweden and the Philippine National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) collaborated to create this project. They analyzed about 2.3 million genotypes from 118 ethnic groups in the Philippines, including diverse self-identified Negrito populations, with the help of collaboration with indigenous cultural communities, local universities, local government units, non-governmental organizations, and/or regional offices of the National Commission for Indigenous Peoples. The sample also included high-coverage genomes of AustraloPapuans and Ayta Magbukon Negritos.

Overall, the findings reveal a complex intertwined history of modern and archaic humans in the Asia-Pacific region, where distinct Islander Denisovan populations differentially admixed with incoming Australasians across multiple locations and at various points in time, according to the researchers.

Resources:
https://doi.org › j.cub.2021.07.022
Web results
Philippine Ayta possess the highest level of Denisovan ancestry in the world - DOI

http://www.sci-news.com › genetics
Philippine Ayta Magbukon People Have Highest Amount of Denisovan DNA in the ...

https://www.the-scientist.com/news-opinion/indigenous-filipino-group-has-highest-known-denisovan-ancestry-69089/amp

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Denisovans: Early Ethnic Interbreeding in the Philippines

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Denisovans: Early Ethnic Interbreeding in the Philippines

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As mentioned by a Current Biology study, an Indigenous group called Ayta Magbukon has 30-40% more Denisovan DNA with a total of nearly 5% of their genomes. To further elaborate, Denisovans were a group of humans first seen in a Siberian cave. This group of humans coexisted with modern and other archaic human species (Neanderthals) for hundreds of years but they went extinct over 30,000 to 50,000 years ago. When conducting their research, they analyzed genomes gathered from 1,107 individuals coming from 118 distinct ethnic groups in the Philippines. They compared the genomes they gathered to Denisovan and Neanderthal genomes. The researchers found that the degree of Neanderthal ancestry was fairly uniform in their study population while the degree of Denisovan ancestry was highly variable and substantially higher in Negritos compared to other groups. The results are consistent with a model of independent interbreeding that happened between the Negritos and Denisovans in the Philippines which suggests that Denisovans have been in the islands way before any other modern human ethnic group.

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Denisovans: The Neanderthals Lost Brother

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Denisovans: The Neanderthals Lost Brother

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We must first ask "What is the difference between a Neanderthal and a Denisovan?" To keep it simple, Neanderthals were primarily found to have inhabited Europe and Western Asia until they became extinct 40,000 years ago. Denisovans, on the other hand, are known to be distant relatives of Neanderthals that mostly lived in Asia. However, there is very little information about this species as only minimal remains have been examined, but they do present some differences from Neanderthals.

It is said that Denisovans may have been the last humanoid species during their era other than the homo sapiens that continue to populate the Earth. A sampling of DNA from living groups in Southeast Asia suggests that Denisovans co-habited with different humanoid species and may have lived until around 30,000-15,000 years ago.

According to Cell Press, "Larena and colleagues, including Mattias Jakobsson, aimed to establish the demographic history of the Philippines. Through a partnership between Uppsala University of Sweden and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts of the Philippines (NCCA), aided by collaboration with indigenous cultural communities, local universities, local government units, non-governmental organizations, and/or regional offices of the National Commission for Indigenous Peoples, they analyzed about 2.3 million genotypes from 118 ethnic groups of the Philippines including diverse self-identified Negrito populations. The sample also included high-coverage genomes of AustraloPapuans and Ayta Magbukon Negritos."

The study of these various ethnic groups in the Philippines resulted in the identification of the Ayta Magbukon of Bataan as having the highest level of Denisovan DNA derivatives. These new findings alongside the also recent discovery of another extinct human species, the Homo Luzonensis, show that there is great evidence of ancient human interaction in Southeast Asia.

This fairly recent discovery contributes significantly to the continuous research about the Denisovan species. It is a big indicator of the species' movement across Asia and its difference from other human species known to have lived in the same region.

References:
https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/understanding/dtcgenetictesting/neanderthaldna/
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/enigmatic-human-relative-outlived-neanderthals
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/08/210812123052.htm
https://www.technologynetworks.com/genomics/news/ethnic-group-in-the-philippines-have-highest-level-of-denisovan-dna-in-the-world-351974

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For context, Denisovans are species of humans which became extinct estimated 30,000 to 50,000 years ago. Most that is known from this bunch came from DNA samples and traces found from pinky bones and teeth remains located in the Denisova Cave of Siberia, hence the name. And although their remains were found in Siberia, it should also be noted that many traces of Denisovan DNA in modern humans suggest they ranged across Asia.

Initial review saw that because they were found in other locations not in Asia, the modern humans with the highest percentage would have been communities from Papua New Guinea in Australia, however studies showed that the highest percentage comes from an indigenous group in the Philippines.

A study led by Uppsala University shows that the Philippine ethnic group known as the Aeta/Ayta Magbunok showed that they possess the highest percentage of the Denisovan DNA in the whole word.  Mostly found in Bataan, the Ayta Magbunok indigenous community holds a range of 30% to 40% similarities of the said DNA sample.  This was done by analyzing the dna and the genes of at least 1,107 individuals from 118 ethnic groups.

As the study suggests, the ethnic group from which the Ayta Magbunok originated from which were the Negritos, came in contact and interbred with the Denisovan ancestors, thus the modern community was born.

They also mentioned that their study was supposed be about the history of the Philippines as a part of a massive collaborative effort with Indigenous communities, local government, and the the National Commission for Culture and the Arts of the Philippines.

This was written and recorded by geneticists from Uppsala University, primarily Maximilian Larena and Mattias Jakobsson in the scientific journal entitled Current Biology.

SOURCES:

https://www.philstar.com/lifestyle/arts-and-culture/2021/08/20/2121429/philippines-ayta-found-have-worlds-highest-percentage-denisovan-ancestry

https://www.the-scientist.com/news-opinion/indigenous-filipino-group-has-highest-known-denisovan-ancestry-69089

https://www.sciencenews.org/article/indigenous-people-philippines-denisovan-dna-genetics

https://www.uu.se/en/news/article/?id=17306&typ=artikel

https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/understanding/dtcgenetictesting/neanderthaldna/

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photo from philstar global, Aeta children

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Ayta Magbukon possess the most Denisovan DNA

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Ayta Magbukon possess the most Denisovan DNA

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Dated back during the Lower and Paleolithic period, there were subspecies of archaic humans called the Denisovans or Denisova hominins. These species ranged across Europe and Asia. It is said that Denisovans are known to have few remains and they are mostly known from DNA evidence. Scientists thought that the highest proportion of Denisovan ancestry lived in Papua New Guinea and Australia. Until recent studies show that a large portion of Denisovan DNA is present in the Negritos/Aetas, ethnic group from The Philippines.

In 2010, the first Denisovan individual was found from a female finger bone from the Siberian Cave in the Altai Mountains. These species are archaic humans that coexisted with modern humans. According to Melchor (2021), other parts of mainland Asia consists less than 0.05 percent Denisovan Ancestry. From a recent study of Uppsala University biologist and coauthor Jakobsson claims that the Aetas or known as The Ayta Magbukon from the Philippines possesses Denisovan ancestry. With that, researchers looked back on the findings how Philippines became populated. It showed that the Negritos, ethnic group where Ayta Magbukon belongs to, were the first modern hominins that settled in the islands. Denisovans were already living in the Southeast Asia Islands, then came the Negritos which eventually interbred with them. Thus, it resulted a high level of Denisovan ancestry in the Ayta Magbukon’s genome. As stated by Maximillian Larena of Uppsala University, they have about 46% higher Denisovan DNA compared to other ethnic groups of Australians and Papuans.  The Denisovan predecessors and their Neanderthal relatives have spread across the world, where Neanderthals were across Europe and Middle East while Denisovans on the other hand spread through Asia. Researchers analyzed the genomes of Negritos and found that while Neanderthal ancestry were comparable to modern humans, the degree of Denisovan ancestry were highly significant to the Negritos than in other ethnic groups. Consistent findings suggest that interbreeding did happen.

Therefore, I believe that the Philippine Ayta people possess the most Denisovan DNA. As research results claim a strong evidence of Denisovan DNA to the ethnic group. Mattias Jakobsson also explains that the Negritos admixed with others from East Asia. However, the Ayta Magbukon interbred only a little to people who migrated the islands which is why the Denisovan genes retained and having such “highest levels of those genes in the world”.

References:
Melchor, A. 2021. Indigenous Filipino Group Has Highest Known Denisovan Ancestry. Retrieved from, https://www.the-scientist.com/news-opinion/indigenous-filipino-group-has-highest-known-denisovan-ancestry-69089

Uppsala University. 2021. Philippine ethnic group has most Denisovan DNA. Retrieved from, https://www.uu.se/en/news/article/?id=17306&typ=artikel

Wei-Haas, M. 2019. Multiple lines of mysterious ancient humans interbred with us. Retrieved from, https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/enigmatic-human-relative-outlived-neanderthals

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The Aetas or pronounced as "eye-tas" is one of the erliest known migrants of the Philippines. The Aetas are considered by many historians to be Australo-Melanesians. They are the same group as Aborgines in Australia and Melanesians of Solomon Islands. Until to this day, it is unclear on how they have arrived in the Philippines. Many theories suggests that the Aetas reached the country by all land masses in the world. Based on this theory it is said that hunters at the time crossed these land bridges, but due to movement of the Earths plates these migration paths eventually disappeared.

Denisovans are an elusive bunch, mainly from ancient DNA. Denisovans are hominid species, and was discovered when they have interbred with Homo sapiens. They have left their biggest genetic imprint on who now lives in Southeast Asian islands. To this day their DNA is still present. Denisovan DNA is still present in our native filipinos such as the Aetas. This shows proof that these people have lived long before the modern human. The Aetas are the most reliable source and evidence that Denisovan DNA is present in our genetic history as filipinos.

References:
https://www.sciencenews.org/article/indigenous-people-philippines-denisovan-dna-genetics

https://theculturetrip.com/asia/philippines/articles/the-aeta-the-first-philippine-people/

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According to Kathleen A. Lemit (2021), the Ayta Magbukon, located profoundly in Bataan is stated to have 30% to 40% more Denisovan DNA than the Australian and Papuan counterparts. The study: Current Biology discussed that there were various archaic species that lived in the Philippines before the arrival of present day humans; that these groups may have been in relation to each other through genetics. The findings show a mixed history of present and past people in the Asia-Pacific region, where population of Denisovans mixed with Australasians in various locations and in many different points in time. Additionally, Denisovans were mentioned to be extinct and was recognized in 2010 through a mitochondrial DNA discovered in a juvenile female finger bone located in a Denisovan Cave, from Siberia, Russia where it was named. Based on what was gathered, the Ayta is said have the most Denisovan DNA, showing their numbers found in the Philippines, specifically in Bataan.

Llemit, K. A. (2021, August 20). Philippines' Ayta found to have world's highest percentage of DENISOVAN ANCESTRY. Philstar.com. https://www.philstar.com/lifestyle/arts-and-culture/2021/08/20/2121429/philippines-ayta-found-have-worlds-highest-percentage-denisovan-ancestry.

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Philippine Aetas and it's Denisovan DNA Relation

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Philippine Aetas and it's Denisovan DNA Relation

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Going back in history, ever since their exit in Africa, modern humans interacted among Neanderthals and Denisovans that left a big genetic trace in present day populations. Despite the knowledge of the demographic history of Denisovans and other ancestries, it's interactions in the Island Southeast Asia remains to be very limited. Despite that, studies show that present-day populations of the Philippines who are known as "Negritos" are related to Australopapuans, has the same significant levels of Denisovan DNA as well.

There are genetic analysis states that the Ayta Magbukon retains the Denisovan DNA more than other ancestries of the "Negritos" due to the low number of mated people with East Asian Migrants over 2,000 years ago. The Ayta Magbukon totals about 30-40 percent more in terms of the Denisovan DNA in comparison with the Papua New Guinea highlanders despite them carrying about 4 percent Denisovan DNA in a recent study.

To conclude, it is still a stretch to tell that the Denisovan DNA is geographically widespread. There are a lot of Denisovan fossils that exist and it needs to be studied before identifying further conclusions. Moreover, the stone age homo fossils that are found on Southeast Asian Islands aren't proven yet to contain Denisovan DNA.

References:
https://www.cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822(21)00977-5?_returnURL=https%3A%2F%2Flinkinghub.elsevier.com%2Fretrieve%2Fpii%2FS0960982221009775%3Fshowall%3Dtrue

https://www.sciencenews.org/article/indigenous-people-philippines-denisovan-dna-genetics

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The Denisovan DNA found in Philippine Aytas

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The Denisovan DNA found in Philippine Aytas

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Researchers from the Philippines and Sweden who’s been studying the genetic diversity in the Philippines, reported to have discovered that the Philippine Ayta have the most Denisovan DNA. The Ayta Magbukon, a Philippine ethnic group that also identifies as Negritos, had around 5% Denisovan ancestry. It is interesting that until these findings, Denisovan fossils were found miles away in Sweden, and considers Aboriginal Australians and Papuans to be the only ones with 4% Denisovan ancestry.

This study revealed that the Denisovan DNA was more diverse than expected, as they have possibly mated with different human populations in different locations, making it safe to assume that they have also lived across Asia.

With this discovery, it convinced me that there’s much more to learn about our origins, especially in our country. It initially surprised me to hear about this news about the Aytas, but after this study, it convinced me that Aytas currently have the most Denisovan DNA and could open bigger-significant studies.

As Stringer, a professor and research leader in Human Origins at The Natural History Museum in London pointed out, human colonizations of the Philippines need to be studied further as it appears to be more complex than we’ve known. Moreover, Southeast Asia, particularly the Philippines, might play a key role in understanding our origins, yet very little significance and effort is provided in studying and preserving historical evidence.

Hunt, K. (2021, August 16). New clue to Human EVOLUTION'S biggest MYSTERY emerges in Philippines. CNN. https://edition.cnn.com/2021/08/16/world/denisovan-dna-philippines-scn/index.html.

Science, Technology and Society
Nadine Silvestre
BACMS 4A

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Do you think the Philippine Ayta people have the most Denisovan DNA? Explain your answer.

The term Denisovan is an extinct species or subspecies of archaic humans that ranged across Asia during the Lower and Middle Paleolithic. Denisovans are known from few remains, and consequently, most of what is known about them comes from DNA evidence. No formal species name has been erected pending more complete fossil material.

Denisova Cave is in south-central Siberia, Russia, in the Altai Mountains near the border with Kazakhstan, China, and Mongolia. It is named after Denis (Dyonisiy), a Russian hermit who lived there in the 18th century. The cave was first inspected for fossils in the 1970s by Russian paleontologist Nikolai Ovodov, who was looking for remains of canids.

According to Kathleen A. Llemit, from Philstar.com.  A group of Indigenous Peoples from the Philippines has been found to have the highest level of the ancestry of archaic human species, which scientists claimed to be a key finding in the study of human evolution.

The Ayta Magbukon, mostly found in Bataan, is said to possess 30 to 40% greater Denisovan ancestry than their Australian and Papuan counterparts.

Researchers also write that since modern humans exit out of Africa, Denisovans have interbred with archaic hominins.

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Denisovans are an enigmatic species only known from ancient DNA samples and evidence of that DNA shared by ancient hominids and Homo sapiens during interbreeding. Today, people who dwell in Southeast Asian islands, Papua New Guinea, and Australia bear the brunt of their genetic mark. As per genetic evidence, the Philippine Negrito ethnic group has the most Denisovan heritage of any ethnic group. A new study shows that indigenous people known as the Ayta Magbukon inherit about 5% of their DNA from Denisovans.

Yes, I think the Philippine Ayta people have the most Denisovan DNA because, according to researchers, there are multiple lines of evidence that modern humans interbred with archaic Denisovans. They also describe the similar demographic history of Australasians and Denisovans in Island Southeast Asia. Their findings are based on 2.3 million genotypes from 118 Filipino ethnic groups, including 25 different self-identified Negrito populations and Australopapuan and Ayta Magbukon Negrito genomes with high coverage. Moreover, the researchers emphasize the need to involve underrepresented populations in genetic research, such as the Philippine Negritos. Their genetic research on Philippine Negritos highlighted an important period in human evolution: the ISEA (Island Southeast Asia) region's previously underappreciated intricate relationships between modern humans and Denisovans. Researchers have presented evidence for the presence of several Islander Denisovan populations who variably admixed with entering Australasians over many sites and periods.

As a result, Denisovan ancestry was found in various levels in the genomes of Philippine Negritos and Papuans. Philippine Negritos were later admixed with East Asian migrants with limited Denisovan ancestry in ISEA, diluting their ancient ancestry. However, specific communities, such as the Ayta Magbukon, only had a minor admixture with the more recent migrants. As an outcome, the Ayta Magbukon kept the majority of their inherited archaic tracts, giving them the world's highest level of Denisovan ancestry.

References:

Bower, B. (2021, August 23). An indigenous people in the Philippines have the most Denisovan DNA. Science News. https://www.sciencenews.org/article/indigenous-people-philippines-denisovan-dna-genetics.

Larena et al., Philippine Ayta possess the highest level of Denisovan ancestry in the world, Current Biology (2021), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2021.07.022

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Researchers found that modern-day humans withinside the Philippines have the maximum Denisovan DNA. Researchers from all over the world found out that the Negrito ethnic organization called Ayta/Aeta Magbukon have the very best stage of Denisovan ancestry today. The Denisovans are a group of archaic humans identified from a single pinkie bone in a Siberian cave. They existed with modern humans and other archaic human species like the Neanderthals for thousands of years until they went extinct 30,000 to 50,000 years ago.

In the study, it was revealed that they left their biggest genetic imprint on people from SouthEast Asia. The indigenous people from Aeta/Ayta Magbukon got around 5 percent of their DNA from Denisovans.

The study is far from the end yet and so far, the Aeta people have the most Denisovan DNA as of today. The scientists and the researchers behind this study are still ready and willing to discover new lineages, more evidence, historical truths, and many more that will drastically explain our present history. Although there are still numerous possibilities that are still to be discovered, we can still celebrate the fact that our Aeta community has the chance to know their authenticity, their culture, and their identity.

References:
https://www.sciencenews.org/article/indigenous-people-philippines-denisovan-dna-genetics

https://www.the-scientist.com/news-opinion/indigenous-filipino-group-has-highest-known-denisovan-ancestry-69089#:~:text=Denisovans%20were%20a%20group%20of,30%2C000%20to%2050%2C000%20years%20ago.

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Denisovans or known as Denisova Hominins are extinct and archaic human species that were prominent in Asia during the Lower and Middle Paleolithic and were said to be somehow related to another species called the Neanderthals. It was said that these species were first discovered from a pinkie bone found in Siberia with their extinction period estimating back from 30,000 to 50,000 years ago before the Homo sapiens started arriving.

Until today, proof of their traces is still very scarce with only a few DNA samples that may have proven the interbreeding of modern humans (homo sapiens) and Denisovans. According to Gizmodo, Denisovan ancestry can be found in only Southeast Asians and Pacific Islanders with only less than 0.05 percent in mainland Asia.

Last August 12, geneticists Maximilian Larena and Mattias Jakobsson from Uppsala University in partnership with the National Commission for Culture and Arts of the Philippines (NCCA) and other NGOs have found new evidence that the Philippine Ayta or Ayta Magbukon holds the highest Denisovan ancestry, quoted with "around 46 percent greater than that of Australians and Papuan."

Cell Press. (2021, August 12). Philippine Ayta people have the most Denisovan dna, study finds. ScienceDaily. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/08/210812123052.htm.

Melchor, A. (n.d.). Indigenous Filipino group has highest known Denisovan Ancestry. The Scientist Magazine®. https://www.the-scientist.com/news-opinion/indigenous-filipino-group-has-highest-known-denisovan-ancestry-69089.

Bower, B. (2021, August 23). An indigenous people in the Philippines have the most Denisovan DNA. Science News. https://www.sciencenews.org/article/indigenous-people-philippines-denisovan-dna-genetics.

U.S. National Library of Medicine. (2020, September 18). What does it mean to have NEANDERTHAL Or Denisovan DNA?: MedlinePlus Genetics. MedlinePlus. https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/understanding/dtcgenetictesting/neanderthaldna/.

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Study finds Philippine Ayta people have the most Denisovan DNA published by Genomics Research. After studying the genomes of over 120 ethnic groups in the Philippines, one group, only the Ayta Magbukon, has the greatest level of DNA inherited from Denisovans, an extinct human subspecies, ever reported. The Philippine Negritos are regarded to be the first human population to arrive in the country. At least 30 different Malayo-Polynesian languages are spoken by self-identified Negrito groups. The 25 groups contacted in this study came from various hunting and gathering, subsistence, and urbanized lifestyles, with many of their languages considered critically endangered, according to the researchers. As a result, the Ayta Magbukon kept the majority of their inherited archaic tracts and had the greatest amount of Denisovan ancestry in the world, according to the authors.

Furthermore, indigenous people from the highlands of Papua New Guinea possessed the largest amount of Denisovan DNA in their genomes, although their Denisovan inheritance was 40 percent smaller than the Ayta Magbukon's. This happened when the interbleeding happened when modern humans and Denisovans met on a Pacific island off the coast of Southeast Asia. Denisovan ancestry was found in various extents in the genomes of Philippine Negritos and Papuans as a result of this hybridization. The Ayta Magbukon are one of 25 Philippines Negrito subgroups that still survive on the island of the Philippines. Philippines Negritos then admixed with East Asian migrants with minimal Denisovan ancestry in Island Southeast Asia, diluting their ancient ancestry. As a result, the Ayta Magbukon kept most of their inherited archaic tracts and had the world's highest level of Denisovan heritage. With these researches, I can say that the Aytas really have the most Denisovan DNA.

Ethnic group in the Philippines have highest level of Denisovan DNA in the world. Genomics Research from Technology Networks. (n.d.). https://www.technologynetworks.com/genomics/news/ethnic-group-in-the-philippines-have-highest-level-of-denisovan-dna-in-the-world-351974.

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"Young Aeta girl from Mariveles, Bataan, in 1901"

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In brief background, Denisovans are a hominid species discovered in recent years wherein they had close ties and have even interbred with Homo sapiens. This implies that they have left traces of their genetics around the areas of Southeast Asia, Papua New Guinea, and even Australia based on the geographical mapping and relating patterns found in these regions. Based on the latest research findings of science, yes the Philippine Ayta People has the most Denisovan DNA as of now. Specifically confirmed on the day of August 12th this year, the researchers whom are reporting to Current biology have discovered that the ethnic group Ayta Magbukon from our country has the “highest level of Denisovan DNA” which now surpasses the previous record holder coming from the Papua Highlanders. They were able to do so by analyzing over “2.3 million genotypes from 118 ethnic groups of the Philippines”. Previously it was noted that the Papuan highlanders carried 4% of Denisovan DNA, and in turn the Ayta people have around 5% of it in their genes. According to sciencedaily.com, the researchers claimed that even if the Philippine Negritos have recently admixed with other East Asian groups which meant that it gives more tendency of diminishing the level of Denisovan ancestry that they carry, the study still was able to find that the Denisovan ancestry of these people was still significantly 46% greater at most than that of what was previously discovered from Australians and Papuans.

For the time being it is proven that the Ayta people have the most Denisovan DNA so far. Yet with numerous possibilities that are still to be discovered in the future, there might still be much more to what we know today. In the researcher’s pursuance in tracing this lineage of ancestry, they are also able to uncover more evidences regarding archaeological and historical implications that might help better explain present and future inquiries regarding the species, adaptation, survival, and other similar topics.

References:
https://www.sciencenews.org/article/indigenous-people-philippines-denisovan-dna-genetics

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/08/210812123052.htm

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Denisovan Genes in the Ayta Magbukon people

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Denisovan Genes in the Ayta Magbukon people

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Before answering, what are Denisovans though? The dictionary describes them to be an extinct species of human of robust build, distributed from Siberia to Southeast Asia in the Upper Paleolithic period. But spite being an extinct species their DNA can still be found on different kinds of people. An article on the SCIENCENEWS website states that there is evidential proof now that most of their genes have been inherited to the Philippine Negrito ethnic group, and a new study shows that Indigenous people are known as the Ayta Magbukon get around 5% of their DNA from the Denisovans. This finding is accurate to the evolutionary scenario that the dictionary stated which these Denisovans were distributed from Siberia to the Southeast Asia countries and the Philippines being a part of the Southeast Asia countries fits the description. It is said in the new studies by Jakobsson that spite being that the Southeast Asia countries being vast roughly 30% to 40% more of the Denisovan ancestry come from the Ayta Magbukon than other places that resonate their genetic structure like Papa New Guinea highlanders and Indigenous people from Australia. Genetic analyses claim that the people of Ayta Magbukon retain slightly more Denisovan genes than other Philippine Negrito groups due to them mating less often with the East Asian migrants to the island around 2,281 years ago as stated by some scientists.

Reference: Bower, B. (2021, August 23). An indigenous people in the Philippines have the most Denisovan DNA. Science News. https://www.sciencenews.org/article/indigenous-people-philippines-denisovan-dna-genetics.

STS
Bondoc, Mark Leonard M.
BACMS4A

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Do you think the Philippine Ayta people have the most Denisovan DNA? Explain your answer.

Yes. According to Melchor, A., (2021), “an Indigenous group in the Philippines called the Ayta Magbukon have 30 to 40 percent more Denisovan DNA than these other frontrunners, for a total of nearly 5 percent of their genomes.” Additionally, ““[The Ayta Magbukon] possess more Denisovan ancestry than anybody else on the planet today,” Uppsala University biologist and study coauthor Mattias Jakobsson tells Inverse. “So that was a surprise to us.” Upon personal observation, they have eyes that are close together and larger noses. Which is present in photographs I’ve seen of Aetas - especially in the one presented for our activity. Additionally, it was noted in our lesson that they were some of the earliest inhabitants of the Philippines. Noting the possible intermixing of the Denisovans with the Filipinos. As noted in the article, “These findings “are consistent with a model of an independent interbreeding event between Negritos and Denisovans within the Philippines, suggesting that Denisovans may have been in the islands long before the presence of any modern human ethnic group,” Larena tells Gizmodo.” Their Denisovan genomes are up to 5 percent. Genomes according to Yourgenome (n.d.) controls different characteristics such as eye color and height. Although all Aetas carry these Denisovan DNA in their bodies - some look more Denisovan than others from my perspective. Despite having the same percentage.

References:
Melchor, A., (2021, August 13). Indigenous Filipino Group Has Highest Known Denisovan Ancestry. Retrieved from: https://www.the-scientist.com/news-opinion/indigenous-filipino-group-has-highest-known-denisovan-ancestry-69089
Yourgenome (n.d.). What is a genome? Retrieved from: https://www.yourgenome.org/facts/what-is-a-genome

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According to a new study performed by Uppsala University, the Philippine ethnic group Ayta Magbukon has the largest proportion of genes from our dead relatives, the Denisovans. Their Denisovan population vastly outnumbers those of Papua New Guinean ethnic groups, who previously held the record. The research was published in the journal Current Biology.

The new research is part of a larger endeavor to figure out how the Philippines came to be populated. The Negritos, the ethnic group to whom the Ayta Magbukon belong, were the first modern hominins to settle on the islands, according to preliminary study findings. The new evidence suggests that the Negritos came into contact with the Denisovans who already lived there and that the two groups interbred. As a result, Ayta Magbukon's genome contains a significant percentage of Denisovan heritage. Moreover, it was stated by the author Maximilian Larena that even though Negritos eventually admixed with an East Asian population that contained a tiny fraction of Denisova DNA, we discovered that their proportion was significantly higher than that of other ethnic groups. The Negritos' Denisovan ancestry was up to 46% higher than that of Australians and Papuans.

Denisovan genes were found in varying amounts in the genomes of Filipino Negritos and other populations as a result of this hybridization. Negritos admixed with individuals who migrated from East Asia and possessed some Denisovan genes on Southeast Asian islands, resulting in a dilution of Denisovan DNA. However, certain groups, such as the Ayta Magbukon, interbred with the people who later migrated to the islands only sporadically. This is why, according to Mattias Jakobsson, the Ayta Magbukon have the highest amounts of Denisovan DNA in the world.

To conclude, I believe that Philippine Ayta people have the most Denisovan DNA as history testifies that these genes and admixtures have been deeply embedded from our ancestry which significantly became a great part of our indigenous tribes' identity. As researchers analyze further genomes in the future, we'll have a greater understanding of a variety of topics, including how archaic inheritance has influenced our biology and contributed to our species' adaptation,” says Maximilian Larena.

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Do you think the Philippine Ayta people have the most Denisovan DNA? Explain your answer.