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Genome sequence of "?tzi" ( Ice Man) provides details of illnesses
Also known as "Iceman" was predisposed to cardiovascular disease, and suffer from lactose intolerance.
by The Third - 28/02/2012 - 18:02
Last February Dutch experts reconstructed the face of ?tzi.
The new face of ?tzi
In 1991 a German couple discovered during a tour of the ?tztal valley in the Italian Alps near the border with Austria, the ?tzi mummy "or" Iceman ", as is known.
Among the details that were unknown until now, after 20 years of studies, measuring approximately 1.60 tall and had almost 50 kilos. Around the cause of death, analysis of these years have concluded that he died about 46 years of a blow to the head and then an arrow pierced his chest, which would have caused bleeding.
But now, researchers were able to complete its genome sequence has revealed new details of the genetic structure of this man who lived some 5,300 years. For example, I was lactose intolerant and had a genetic predisposition to cardiovascular disease. The latter draws attention, because their conditions of life, ?tzi was not exposed to risk factors that are now considered as triggers of cardiovascular disease, such as overweight or lack of exercise.
"The evidence of a genetic predisposition in ?tzi's life is of great interest to us. This indicates that cardiovascular disease is not a disease primarily associated with modern lifestyles. Now we are ready to use this data to help explore more depth how these diseases have been developed, "notes Albert Zink, the Institute for Mummies and the Iceman of the European Academy of Bolzano / Bozen (Italy).
Another fact is that given the blood group was O ?tzi and his genetic pattern is closer to the present inhabitants of the islands of Sardinia and Corsica. His ancestors had emigrated from the Middle East.