Study finds MHC mate preference varies by population
Researchers in France studied genotype data from 883 European and Middle Eastern couples, looking for signs that people choose partners with dissimilar immune-system genes. In couples from The Netherlands and Northern Europe more broadly, spouses were significantly less alike at the MHC region than random pairs would be, a gap wider than seen across the rest of the genome. Couples from Israel showed no such pattern at the MHC region. Genome-wide, though, those Israeli couples were more similar than random pairs, not less.
MHC-linked mate preferences may exist in humans generally, but social factors such as cousin marriage could mask the effect in some populations.
Written by the Genomes desk from the primary source cited and linked above and checked against it. Research use only; not medical advice. Corrections: [email protected].