DISSERTATION RESEARCH: Functional consequences of the adaptive evolution of enamelin

有几个基因参与了牙釉质的形成和决定牙釉质厚度。牙釉质厚度与饮食有关。决定牙釉质厚度的一个基因是ENAM。研究人员已经表明，人类群体之间的ENAM差异是有选择性的优势。此外，不同人群之间牙釉质厚度也存在差异。这项研究建议测试ENAM变化和厚度差异之间的关联。这些方法包括通过咀嚼X光测量牙釉质厚度，并分析每个人的牙釉质DNA序列。然后，研究人员将寻找这两项指标之间的联系。在最近的基因组研究中，已经发现了许多在人类群体之间存在差异的基因。了解这些差异将有助于科学家了解种群如何适应不同的环境。研究人员采用了扫描整个基因组的方法来识别表明最近有利变化的不寻常区域。这项研究是第一次将种群间差异识别的基因与可测量的变化联系起来，在这种情况下是牙釉质厚度。这项研究还将提供有关饮食变化的信息，这些变化塑造了人类牙齿的进化。

There are several genes involved in tooth enamel formation and determining tooth enamel thickness. Tooth enamel thickness is correlated with diet. One gene involved in determining enamel thickness is Enam. The investigators have shown Enam differences between human populations have been selectively advantageous. Additionally, there are differences in tooth enamel thickness between groups of people. This research proposes to test for an association between the Enam changes and thickness differences. The methods include measuring enamel thickness from bitewing x-rays and analyzing Enam DNA sequences for each individual. The researchers will then look for an association between the two measures. In recent genomic studies, many genes have been identified that have differences between human populations. Understanding those differences will help scientists understand how populations have adapted to different environments. Researchers have employed methods of scanning the entire genome to identify unusual regions that indicate recent advantageous changes. This research is one of the first to connect a gene identified with differences between populations to a measurable change, tooth enamel thickness in this case. This research will also inform about dietary changes that have shaped the evolution of human dentition.