Article
Evolution of lactase persistence: an example of human niche construction.
Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological sciences - 27 Mar 2011
Gerbault Pascale, Liebert Anke, Itan Yuval, Powell Adam, Currat Mathias, Burger Joachim, Swallow Dallas M, Thomas Mark G
Abstract excerpt
Niche construction is the process by which organisms construct important components of their local environment in ways that introduce novel selection pressures. Lactase persistence is one of the clearest examples of niche construction in humans. Lactase is the enzyme responsible for the digestion of the milk sugar lactose and its production decreases after the weaning phase in most mammals, including most humans....
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