Haplotype VIII of the Y chromosome is the ancestral haplotype in Jews.
DNA samples from Ashkenazic and Sephardic Jews were studied with the Y-chromosome-specific DNA probes p49f and p49a to screen for restriction fragment length polymorphisms and haplotypes. Two haplotypes (VII and VIII) are the most widespread, representing about 50% of the total number of haplotypes in Jews. The major haplotype in Oriental Jews is haplotype VIII (85.1%); haplotype VIII is also the major haplotype in the Djerban Jews (77.5%) (Djerban Jews represent probably one of the oldest Jewish communities). Together these results confirm that haplotype VIII is the ancestral haplotype in Jews.
Lucotte
G
G
International Institute of Anthropology, Paris, France.
David
F
F
Berriche
S
S
D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D015342:DNA Probes / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics*; D006239:Haplotypes / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007585:Jews / Q000235:genetics*; D014998:Y Chromosome / Q000235:genetics*
D015342:DNA Probes