Natural selection
Why is CCR5-Δ32 common only in Europe?
Open access · cc by · source: Europe PMC
CCR5-Δ32 likely rose under strong selection and spread fast by long-range dispersal; its range is limited more by time than by southern selection barriers.
How this study connects
Role on claims
Each row is a claim on a concept or method page where this paper supports, challenges, or qualifies the statement. Roles are hand-checked — not a model guess.
Multiple empirical papers in this library examine natural selection with mechanistic biological findings.
Evidence for the claim as stated.
Strong selection (s≥0.1) and rapid long-range dispersal are needed; geographic restriction fits limited dispersal time better than purely local selection; origin may be outside northern Europe.
Evidence for the claim as stated.
Systems and scales differ across natural selection studies (species, tissues, methods), so mechanisms should not be over-generalised.
Evidence for the claim as stated.
Open questions
Tensions this paper is part of
From concept pages' “where studies disagree.” Disagreement means the same question; scope means different assays, populations, or outcomes.
Systems and scales differ across natural selection studies (species, tissues, methods), so mechanisms should not be over-generalised.
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Study at a glance
- Design
- Computational / modelling — Spatially explicit wave-of-advance model of CCR5-Δ32 frequency clines and allele age
- N
- Population-genetic modeling of allele frequencies — no single sample N
- Population
- Geographic CCR5-Δ32 allele-frequency data
- Outcome
- Selection and dispersal parameters explaining Δ32 geographic spread
Structured fields used in claim comparison tables when every cited study has a complete layer.
Inspect source passages
Why is CCR5-Δ32 common only in Europe?
These passages occur verbatim in the stored paper text. They support the points listed below; they do not verify every statement in the explanation.
What allele was modeled?
We find the Δ32 allele is likely restricted geographically because of limited time to disperse rather than local selection pressures.
How did it attain its current range?
spread rapidly via long-range dispersal and intense selection to attain its current range.
Key findings
Strong selection (s≥0.1) and rapid long-range dispersal are needed; geographic restriction fits limited dispersal time better than purely local selection; origin may be outside northern Europe.
Methodology
Fit a spatially explicit wave-of-advance model to Δ32 frequency clines and allele-age estimates.
Limitations
Does not definitively identify the historical selective agent (plague vs smallpox debated).
Related papers in this topic
Same topic cluster — not a recommendation engine.