Adaptation to High Altitude in Sherpas: Association with the Insertion/Deletion Polymorphism in the Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Gene

These findings suggest that the overrepresented I allele of the ACE gene in Sherpas might be one of the fundamental genetic factors responsible for maintaining physiological low-altitude ACE activity at high altitude, which may have an advantageous physiological role in adapting to a high-altitude environment.