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Adaptations to water stress and pastoralism in the Turkana of northwest Kenya.

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Title: Adaptations to water stress and pastoralism in the Turkana of northwest Kenya.
Authors: Lea, A. J., Caldas, I. V., Garske, K. M., Gerlinger, E. R., Arroyo, J. P., Echwa, J., Gurven, M., Handley, C., Kahumbu, J. C., Kamau, J., Kinyua, P., Lotukoi, F., Lopurudoi, A., Lowasa, S., Njeru, S. N., Mallarino, R., Martins, D. J., Messer, P. W., Miano, C., Muhoya, B.
Source: Science. 9/18/2025, Vol. 389 Issue 6766, p1246-1251. 6p.
Subjects: Pastoral societies, Human genome, Vasopressin, Metabolism, Biomarkers
Abstract: The Turkana pastoralists of Kenya inhabit arid, water-limited environments and rely largely on livestock for subsistence. Working with Turkana communities, we sequenced 367 whole genomes and identified eight regions with evidence for recent positive selection. One of these regions includes a putative regulatory element for STC1—a kidney-expressed gene involved in metabolism and the response to dehydration. We show that STC1 is induced by antidiuretic hormone in human cells, is associated with urea levels in the Turkana themselves, and is under strong and recent selection in this population as well as a second East African population, the Daasanach. This work highlights how integrating anthropological and genomic approaches can lead to a new understanding of human physiology with biomedical relevance. Editor's summary: Humans have adapted to many environments, dietary shifts, and conditions. Lea et al. analyzed blood markers and genomes from 367 Turkana individuals in northwest Kenya (see the Perspective by McVay and Goldberg). This group has primarily practiced nomadic pastoralism in an extremely arid environment for the past 5000 to 8000 years, with as much as 80% of their traditional diet being composed of animal products. The authors identified several regions of the genome that appear to be under recent selection, including one near the gene STC1, which is involved in the kidneys' response to dehydration. The authors also shared the results with these groups, which may help them be more aware of possible medical complications as some individuals move to urban centers. —Corinne Simonti [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Science is the property of American Association for the Advancement of Science and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection
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  Data: Adaptations to water stress and pastoralism in the Turkana of northwest Kenya.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Lea%2C+A%2E+J%2E%22">Lea, A. J.</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Caldas%2C+I%2E+V%2E%22">Caldas, I. V.</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Garske%2C+K%2E+M%2E%22">Garske, K. M.</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Gerlinger%2C+E%2E+R%2E%22">Gerlinger, E. R.</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Arroyo%2C+J%2E+P%2E%22">Arroyo, J. P.</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Echwa%2C+J%2E%22">Echwa, J.</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Gurven%2C+M%2E%22">Gurven, M.</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Handley%2C+C%2E%22">Handley, C.</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Kahumbu%2C+J%2E+C%2E%22">Kahumbu, J. C.</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Kamau%2C+J%2E%22">Kamau, J.</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Kinyua%2C+P%2E%22">Kinyua, P.</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Lotukoi%2C+F%2E%22">Lotukoi, F.</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Lopurudoi%2C+A%2E%22">Lopurudoi, A.</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Lowasa%2C+S%2E%22">Lowasa, S.</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Njeru%2C+S%2E+N%2E%22">Njeru, S. N.</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Mallarino%2C+R%2E%22">Mallarino, R.</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Martins%2C+D%2E+J%2E%22">Martins, D. J.</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Messer%2C+P%2E+W%2E%22">Messer, P. W.</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Miano%2C+C%2E%22">Miano, C.</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Muhoya%2C+B%2E%22">Muhoya, B.</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Science%22">Science</searchLink>. 9/18/2025, Vol. 389 Issue 6766, p1246-1251. 6p.
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  Data: The Turkana pastoralists of Kenya inhabit arid, water-limited environments and rely largely on livestock for subsistence. Working with Turkana communities, we sequenced 367 whole genomes and identified eight regions with evidence for recent positive selection. One of these regions includes a putative regulatory element for STC1—a kidney-expressed gene involved in metabolism and the response to dehydration. We show that STC1 is induced by antidiuretic hormone in human cells, is associated with urea levels in the Turkana themselves, and is under strong and recent selection in this population as well as a second East African population, the Daasanach. This work highlights how integrating anthropological and genomic approaches can lead to a new understanding of human physiology with biomedical relevance. Editor's summary: Humans have adapted to many environments, dietary shifts, and conditions. Lea et al. analyzed blood markers and genomes from 367 Turkana individuals in northwest Kenya (see the Perspective by McVay and Goldberg). This group has primarily practiced nomadic pastoralism in an extremely arid environment for the past 5000 to 8000 years, with as much as 80% of their traditional diet being composed of animal products. The authors identified several regions of the genome that appear to be under recent selection, including one near the gene STC1, which is involved in the kidneys' response to dehydration. The authors also shared the results with these groups, which may help them be more aware of possible medical complications as some individuals move to urban centers. —Corinne Simonti [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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  Data: <i>Copyright of Science is the property of American Association for the Advancement of Science and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=pbh&AN=188104198
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