A brief introduction considering Darwin's work, the evolutionary synthesis, and the scientific biological field around the 1970s and subsequently, with the molecular revolution, was followed by selected examples of recent investigations dealing with the selection-drift controversy. The studies surveyed included the comparison between essential genes in humans and mice, selection in Africa and Europe, and the possible reasons why females in humans remain healthy and productive after menopause, in contrast with what happens in the great apes. At the end, selected examples of investigations performed in Latin America, related to the action of selection for muscle performance, acetylation of xenobiotics, high altitude and tropical forest adaptations were considered. Despite dissenting views, the influence of positive selection in a considerable portion of the human genome cannot presently be dismissed.

Francisco M. Salzano

Genetics and Molecular Biology

遗传学和分子生物学（原名为 REVISTA BRASILEIRA DE GENÉTICA/BRAZILIAN JOURNAL OF GENETICS - ISSN 0100-8455）由 SOCIEDADE BRASILEIRA DE GENÉTICA（巴西遗传学会）出版。该杂志考虑了展示遗传学、进化和相关科学学科原创研究结果的贡献。仅介绍方法和应用的手稿，没有对遗传数据进行分析，将不予考虑。

Genetics and Molecular Biology (formerly known as REVISTA BRASILEIRA DE GENÉTICA/BRAZILIAN JOURNAL OF GENETICS - ISSN 0100-8455) is published by the Sociedade Brasileira de Genética (Brazilian Society of Genetics). The journal welcomes contributions that present original research findings in the fields of genetics, evolution, and related sciences. Manuscripts that only describe methods and applications without analyzing genetic data will not be considered.

《Genetics and Molecular Biology》（原名为 REVISTA BRASILEIRA DE GENÉTICA/BRAZILIAN JOURNAL OF GENETICS - ISSN 0100-8455）由巴西遗传学会（SOCIEDADE BRASILEIRA DE GENÉTICA）出版。该期刊欢迎展示遗传学、进化及相关科学领域原创研究成果的投稿。仅介绍方法和应用的手稿，且未对遗传数据进行分析的稿件将不予考虑。

Category	Quartile
生物学	4
生物学, 生化与分子生物学	4
生物学, 遗传学	4

The role of natural selection in human evolution – insights from Latin America

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