phormix t1_iszgw47 wrote on October 19, 2022 at 8:45 PM

Reply to comment by rjmsci in Natural Selection Driven by the Black Death Linked to Modern-Day Autoimmune Disease: Analysis of DNA from over 200 remains shows that the Black Death selected for immune gene variants that are also risk factors for autoimmune conditions like Crohn's disease. by rjmsci

I recall seeing an article for these in regards to HIV and a historic condition (might have also been the black death), where it was believed that people with a particular mutation that made them resistant/immune was do to a mutation associated with plague survivors

Total-News3680 t1_it09q3q wrote on October 20, 2022 at 12:10 AM

Thats a very specific mutation,a change in the CD4 protein , preventing HIV from locking onto the T4 cell. Its i. Less than 2 % of the population. Had it arisen with black plague it would be much more common.

theboredbiochemist t1_it20wim wrote on October 20, 2022 at 11:20 AM

Just to add some more details, CCR5-delta32 had been suggested by some to have links to the Black Plague, but as stated in the linked publication, historical evidence and geographic distribution of the allele suggest otherwise, as you alluded to. Still an interesting mutation though and I look forward to seeing what researchers uncover as to why this allele has higher frequencies among some population subgroups and if it is linked to other variants in those populations.