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The Making of the Fittest: Got Lactase? The Co-evolution of Genes and Culture

Topic
  • Genetics
  • Gene Expression & Regulation
  • Anatomy & Physiology
  • Metabolism & Nutrition
  • Evolution
  • Natural Selection
  • Human Evolution
Resource Type
  • Videos
  • Short Films
Level
High School — GeneralHigh School — AP/IBCollege
Duration
00:14:52
Used In
2 BioInteractive Playlists
Favorited By
34 Users
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View in Spanish
Description

This film explores the genetics and evolution of lactase persistence in humans.

Babies can easily digest milk, the food especially provided for them by their mothers. Later in life, most of us lose this ability because we stop producing lactase, the enzyme that helps us digest the sugar in milk. But about one-third of adults worldwide continue to produce the enzyme, a phenomenon known as lactase persistence. This film explores the genetics behind lactase persistence and discusses research that traces the origin of this trait to less than 10,000 years ago. The origin of lactase persistence coincides with a cultural shift in human populations who began to use the milk of other mammals as food. Combining genetics, chemistry, and anthropology, this story provides a compelling example of the co-evolution of human gene regulation and human culture.

The “Abbreviated Film Guide” provides a short summary of the film, along with key concepts and connections to curriculum standards.

An audio descriptive version of the film is available via our media player.

Details
Key Terms

adaptation, gene expression, lactase persistence, lactose, lactose intolerance, milk, pastoralist

Primary Literature

Callaway, Ewen. “Pottery shards put a date on Africa’s dairying.” Nature, 20 June 2012 (www.nature.com/news/pottery-shards-put-a-date-on-africa-s-dairying-1.10863). https://doi.org/10.1038/nature.2012.10863.

Hollox, Edward. “Evolutionary genetics: Genetics of lactase persistence – fresh lessons in the history of milk drinking.” European Journal of Human Genetics 13 (2005): 267-269.
 

Terms of Use

Please see the Terms of Use for information on how this resource can be used.

Accessibility Level

This resource complies with accessibility standards in accordance with the final rule for Section 508 of the National Rehabilitation Act.
Version History
Date Published 03.08.11
Date Updated 05.14.20
Curriculum Connections
NGSS (2013)

HS-LS1.A, HS-LS3.A, HS-LS3.B, HS-LS4.B, HS-LS4.C

AP Biology (2019)

EVO-1, EVO-3, IST-2, IST-4, SYI-3

IB Biology (2016)

2.5, 3.1, 4.1, 5.4, 6.1, D.2

AP Environmental Science (2013)

II.A, II.C

Vision and Change (2009)

CC1, CC5

Materials
HD (M4V) 572 MB
HD (WMV) 461 MB
SD (M4V) 185 MB
SD (WMV) 118 MB
Transcript (PDF) 324 KB
Spanish Dub (Español) (MP4) 261 MB
Transcript - Español (PDF) 267 KB
Abbreviated Film Guide (PDF) 109 KB

Educator Tips

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1-Minute Tips
Lactose Intolerance and Genetics
Robin Bulleri describes how she uses the "Got Lactase?" short film, along with the "Inheritance of Lactose Intolerance" activity, to show her students how lactase persistence arose and how pedigrees and DNA analysis reveal patterns of inheritance of lactase gene variants.
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