Argentinian Andes Population Shows Genetic Adaptation to Arsenic

Residents of the Argentinian Andes have long consumed water contaminated with high levels of arsenic, a toxic metalloid that poses serious health risks to most people.

A recent DNA analysis of people across western South America found that a population in the Argentinian Andes carries a gene variant that likely helps them metabolize arsenic more safely.

The study, led by evolutionary biologists Carina Schlebusch and Lucie Gattepaille, identified genetic variants near the AS3MT gene that strongly influence how the body processes arsenic.

These variants were far more common in people from San Antonio de los Cobres than in genetically similar populations in Peru and Colombia.

Earlier research showed that women in the region had a unique ability to metabolize arsenic, as evidenced by the levels of certain metabolites in their urine.

The team analyzed DNA from 124 women in San Antonio de los Cobres and found that their genetic makeup allowed for more efficient excretion of arsenic.

Similar genetic adaptations have also been found in other arsenic-exposed populations, including those in Bangladesh, where two additional gene clusters were identified.