800,000-year-old AMY1 gene duplication linked to early human adaptation to starchy diets.

A study by the University at Buffalo and Jackson Laboratory reveals that the salivary amylase gene (AMY1), crucial for digesting starch, may have duplicated over 800,000 years ago—long before agriculture began. This genetic change allowed early humans and their ancestors, including Neanderthals, to adapt to starchy diets. Pre-agricultural hunter-gatherers had multiple AMY1 copies, indicating an early adaptation to carbohydrate-rich foods.

October 17, 2024
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