Polynesian origins: insights from the Y chromosome.
The question surrounding the colonization of Polynesia has remained controversial. Two hypotheses, one postulating Taiwan as the putative homeland and the other asserting a Melanesian origin of the Polynesian people, have received considerable attention. In this work, we present haplotype data based on the distribution of 19 biallelic polymorphisms on the Y chromosome in a sample of 551 male individuals from 36 populations living in Southeast Asia, Taiwan, Micronesia, Melanesia, and Polynesia. Surprisingly, nearly none of the Taiwanese Y haplotypes were found in Micronesia and Polynesia. Likewise, a Melanesian-specific haplotype was not found among the Polynesians. However, all of the Polynesian, Micronesian, and Taiwanese haplotypes are present in the extant Southeast Asian populations. Evidently, the Y-chromosome data do not lend support to either of the prevailing hypotheses. Rather, we postulate that Southeast Asia provided a genetic source for two independent migrations, one toward Taiwan and the other toward Polynesia through island Southeast Asia.
Su
B
B
Human Genetics Center, University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, TX 77225, USA.
Jin
L
L
Underhill
P
P
Martinson
J
J
Saha
N
N
McGarvey
S T
ST
Shriver
M D
MD
Chu
J
J
Oefner
P
P
Chakraborty
R
R
Deka
R
R
D005075:Biological Evolution; D004641:Emigration and Immigration; D005819:Genetic Markers; D006239:Haplotypes; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011114:Polynesia / Q000208:ethnology; D014998:Y Chromosome
D005819:Genetic Markers