South Korean Haenyeo Divers’ grave style of life is to shape their genetics

Always likened by mermaids in media reports and popular cultures, shredded in South Korea Haeneo (“Sea women”) Spend a lot of sun underwater, with no scuba gear to collect abalone, octopus, kelp and other valued seafood. Praise the two cultures and scientists, they fall into the fierce water on the island of Jeju since 503 kp

Now, for the first time, There is a study found both genetic adtications and effects of training unique to these women and can explain how the Haeneo Deal with severe physical stresses that come with continuous diving. The findings, published in Cell reports, zero in specific genetic features of Haeneo that allows bodies of these varies that are more efficient to control blood pressure, for example. Researchers hope closer tests of such genetic attitudes to know future procedures in some diseases or diseases in general population.

“The Haeneo such as superhumans, “said Melissa A. IlardoSenior Author of Study and an Evolutionary University of University of Utah University. “You can’t look at Haeneo Two and don’t think these girls have superpowers. “

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It is easy to see the Haeneo as motivation. For centuries, they maintain their own culture and style. They sport rare wide followed visors and tattoos broils, and their skin is painted and hidden in a lifetime of air and salt water. After Haeneo The aged age of their diving years, they still stay in the sea and work on the beach, always staring at a pillow in their back to rest as they put on the gelp to dry. They guarded their traditions in decades in Japan – the long-term conquest of the Korean Peninsula, was hired under the dictatorship and incessant industrial development. And the new study suggests that there is a ring scientific fact of “superpower” comparison.

“Given that (the Haeneo) Have this unique culture, unique language – all these things are very different – as clearly have some genetic differences, “Ilardo said.” But that is not something to investigate. “

Ilardo, who studied the genetics of medical people with people who strengthened people all over the world that were suited to Superhuman LabTHERE previously assessed The physiology of a diving people call Bajau in Southeast Asia. Her team finds bajau with extra big spleens that can store more blood blood for long dives.

“If a group of distracts progressing to dive, some may also have,” Ilardo said. the Haeneo-The long-term rejection history – the crew of the super-lab crew as another population that is capable of developing the advantages of diving.

“What makes it interesting about the study of populations living in a particular environment for many, many generations so if you have a select pressure in that environment, you can view regions that are important for their safety,” mean Simonson TatumA geneticist at the University of California, San Diego, which is not included in the new study. Those important genticic unregarities “are likely to be linked to some aspects of physiology useful in passing during that environment.”

For the new study of HaeneoThe supernatural labor worked together with physiologists from South Korea to simulate the effects of submitting different selfs, compared to noHaeneo Residents of Jeju and Mainland South Korea. Participants put their stomach in their head in a bowl of cold water, which is measured on their face while their reflexive submission answers changes their heart rate and blood pressure.

Participants are all from the same country, however they show the interesting differences in these changes. Ilaso thinks to be a direct result of natural choice. For example, “Apnea of ​​Sleep – like an unintentional launch of your sleep (a complication of hypertencs (a complication of the HypertNencs,” adding it can include Preeclencs) – a complication of hypertencs, “adding it can include preeclencsia (a complication of hypertencs) – adding it can include preeclentia (an adding to the hypertencs) – adding that it may include preeclamps Haeneo knowing to keep diving while pregnant, she says. “If the diving is growing (a Haeneo Diver’s risk of preeclampsia, which can take a whole generation, “Ilardo said.

But the Haeneo Did not know that there is a higher risk of hypertensive diseases, and they clearly target large generations of infants. Ilardo’s research suggests that a gene that allows better blood pressure regulation has been passed over many years.

Interestingly, the team found that all Jeju residents – even those who did not Haeneo Family member – have similar genetic variation that prevents a reflexive pressure pressure pressure in diving. It suggests that variation can have a natural spread of the whole island. It also supports Jeju’s odd little stroke deest in death, about 24.3 per 100,000 for not only Haeneo BUT all by island residents – lower than the mainland town at Seoul rate of 25.7 per 100,000 and the US rate of 37 per 100,000.

But Ilardo says some physiological differences, such as heart changes, unique to Haeneo. During the experiment facing face, Haeneo The heart rate in the participants’ heart has occurred to 50 percent, on average, compared to nondiver jeju residents. It helps their bodies of the oxygen circulation through their bodies during a long dive, allowing them to “spend that resource that would be good,” Ilardo said. He added that the acquired attitude can also improve people who are not worth noting from the island of Jeju. While study did not study the participants’ cold permission, that was something that the Truphuman Lab was planned to investigate the future job of Haeneo.

Researchers can learn important lessons about human evolution from such unique adaptation, as Ben DelumbleA biologist of the State of Arizona university specialist in human biology and excludes new study. Catching life style and genes in special populations such as Haeneo It can be known as research places such as precision medicine, which requires a specialist understanding of how certain genetic variations have interpreted physiological characteristics.

“We are allowed to walk out of natural selection” to approach health care, he says. “How the natural choice of a particular problem in a particular genre is to address the signs for developing new drugs to treat certain problems in our society today.”

Studies are like Ilardo’s’ first step “leading to medical applications, even though he and Simon believed that it was a long-term investigative.

“I just blowed how awesome (the Haeneo) is, how strong they are and how they can balance this kindness and sensitivity, which is targeted by the population of a disease focus (in medical genetics research). And certainly more enjoyable means of doing science. “