mtDNA variation of aboriginal Siberians reveals distinct genetic affinities with Native Americans

Journal Article · Wed Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1993 · American Journal of Human Genetics; (United States)

OSTI ID:5017886

Torroni, A; Schurr, T G; Cabell, M F; Wallace, D C ^[1]; Sukernik, R I; Starikovskaya, Y B ^[2]; Crawford, M H; Comuzzie, A G ^[3]

---

1. Emory Univ., Atlanta, GA (United States)
2. Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Novosibirsk (Russian Federation)
3. Univ. of Kansas, Lawrence, KS (United States)

The mtDNA variation of 411 individuals from 10 aboriginal Siberian populations was analyzed in an effort to delineate the relationships between Siberian and Native American populations. All mtDNAs were characterized by PCR amplification and restriction analysis, and a subset of them was characterized by control region sequencing. The resulting data were then compiled with previous mtDNA data from Native Americans and Asians and were used for phylogenetic analysis and sequence divergence estimations. Aboriginal Siberian populations exhibited mtDNAs from three (A, C, and D) of the four haplogroups observed in Native Americans. However, none of the Siberian populations showed mtDNAs from the fourth haplogroup, group B. The presence of group B deletion haplotypes in East Asian and Native American populations but their absence in Siberians raises the possibility that haplogroup B could represent a migratory event distinct from the one(s) which brought group A, C, and D mtDNAs to the Americas. These findings support the hypothesis that the first humans to move from Siberia to the Americas carried with them a limited number of founding mtDNAs and that the initial migration occurred between 17,000-34,000 years before present. 61 refs., 5 figs., 7 tabs.

• OSTI ID: 5017886
• Journal Information: American Journal of Human Genetics; (United States), Journal Name: American Journal of Human Genetics; (United States) Vol. 53:3; ISSN AJHGAG; ISSN 0002-9297
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

550400* -- Genetics
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
AMERICAN INDIANS
BIOLOGICAL VARIABILITY
CELL CONSTITUENTS
DNA SEQUENCING
GENETIC VARIABILITY
HUMAN POPULATIONS
MIGRATION
MINORITY GROUPS
MITOCHONDRIA
POPULATIONS
RFLPS
STRUCTURAL CHEMICAL ANALYSIS