南北方人原來(lái)在基因上這么不同！

Did you know that people who live in different parts of China have different habits and preferences?

你知道中國(guó)各地的人都有著不同的生活習(xí)慣和喜好嗎?

For example, people from southern China prefer to eat vegetables, while people from north China like to eat meat. But what causes these differences?

比如，南方人喜歡吃蔬菜，而北方人喜歡吃肉。但是什么導(dǎo)致了這些差異呢?

According to a new study published in the journal Cell in October, gene variations might be responsible for these differences, Xinhua reported.

據(jù)新華社報(bào)道，《細(xì)胞》期刊10月發(fā)表的一項(xiàng)新研究表明，基因變異或許是導(dǎo)致這些差異的原因。

In the study, researchers from Chinese genome-sequencing firm BGI collected genetic information from 141,431 Chinese women. The women came from 31 provinces and comprised 36 ethnic minority groups.

研究中，來(lái)自中國(guó)基因組測(cè)序公司華大基因的研究人員從141431名中國(guó)女性身上提取了基因信息。這些女性來(lái)自31個(gè)省市，36個(gè)少數(shù)民族。

The researchers found that there are six gene frequencies that are different among people from both northern and southern China. They found that natural selection has played an important role in the ways that people living in different regions of China have evolved, affecting their food preferences, immunities to illness and physical traits, the New York Times reported.

研究人員發(fā)現(xiàn)，南方人和北方人之間存在6種不同的基因頻率。據(jù)《紐約時(shí)報(bào)》報(bào)道，他們發(fā)現(xiàn)自然選擇在各地人們進(jìn)化過(guò)程中發(fā)揮著重要作用，影響人們的飲食偏好、疾病免疫以及生理特點(diǎn)。

The researchers reported that a variation of the gene FADS2 is more commonly found in northern people than it is in southern people. It helps people metabolize fatty acids, which suggests a diet that is rich in meat. According to Xinhua, this is due to climate differences. Northern China is at a higher latitude, which means it’s cold and dry throughout the whole year. This weather is difficult to grow vegetables in. Therefore, northerners tend to eat more meat.

研究人員報(bào)告稱(chēng)，和南方人相比，F(xiàn)ADS2基因的變異在北方人中更為常見(jiàn)。它能幫助人們代謝脂肪酸，表明人們飲食中肉類(lèi)攝入比例較大。據(jù)新華社報(bào)道，這與氣候差異有關(guān)。北方地區(qū)緯度較高，意味著全年都較為寒冷干燥。這樣的氣候難以種植蔬菜。因此，北方人會(huì)攝入更多肉類(lèi)。

The study also found differences in the immune systems of both groups. Most people in southern China carry the gene CR1, which protects against malaria. This is because malaria was once quite common in southern China. In order to survive, the genes of people in the south evolved to fight against this disease. However, people in the south are also more vulnerable to certain blood-borne illnesses, as they lack the genes to stop them.

研究還發(fā)現(xiàn)，南北方人的免疫系統(tǒng)也存在差異。大多數(shù)南方人帶有能夠抵抗瘧疾的CR1基因。這是因?yàn)榀懠苍欢仍谀戏降貐^(qū)肆虐。為了生存，南方人進(jìn)化出了抵抗瘧疾的基因。然而，南方人也更易患上某些血液病，因?yàn)樗麄內(nèi)狈Φ挚瓜嚓P(guān)疾病的基因。

Genes can also cause physical differences between northerners and southerners. Most northerners have the ABCC11 gene, which causes dry earwax, less body odor and fewer sweat secretions, The New York Times reported. These physical differences are also more beneficial to living in cold environments. Southerners are less likely to have this gene, as it did not evolve in their population.

此外，基因也會(huì)導(dǎo)致南北方人產(chǎn)生生理差異。據(jù)《紐約時(shí)報(bào)》報(bào)道，大多數(shù)北方人擁有ABCC11基因，結(jié)果表現(xiàn)為干性耳垢、體味較小、汗水分泌較少。這些生理差異也更有利于在寒冷環(huán)境中生存。而這種基因在南方人當(dāng)中不大常見(jiàn)，沒(méi)有發(fā)生基因進(jìn)化。