Y chromosomal haplogroup J as a signature of the post-neolithic colonization of Europe.
In order to attain a finer reconstruction of the peopling of southern and central-eastern Europe from the Levant, we determined the frequencies of eight lineages internal to the Y chromosomal haplogroup J, defined by biallelic markers, in 22 population samples obtained with a fine-grained sampling scheme. Our results partially resolve a major multifurcation of lineages within the haplogroup. Analyses of molecular variance show that the area covered by haplogroup J dispersal is characterized by a significant degree of molecular radiation for unique event polymorphisms within the haplogroup, with a higher incidence of the most derived sub-haplogroups on the northern Mediterranean coast, from Turkey westward; here, J diversity is not simply a subset of that present in the area in which this haplogroup first originated. Dating estimates, based on simple tandem repeat loci (STR) diversity within each lineage, confirmed the presence of a major population structuring at the time of spread of haplogroup J in Europe and a punctuation in the peopling of this continent in the post-Neolithic, compatible with the expansion of the Greek world. We also present here, for the first time, a novel method for comparative dating of lineages, free of assumptions of STR mutation rates.
Di Giacomo
F
F
Department of Biology, University Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.
Luca
F
F
Popa
L O
LO
Akar
N
N
Anagnou
N
N
Banyko
J
J
Brdicka
R
R
Barbujani
G
G
Papola
F
F
Ciavarella
G
G
Cucci
F
F
Di Stasi
L
L
Gavrila
L
L
Kerimova
M G
MG
Kovatchev
D
D
Kozlov
A I
AI
Loutradis
A
A
Mandarino
V
V
Mammi'
C
C
Michalodimitrakis
E N
EN
Paoli
G
G
Pappa
K I
KI
Pedicini
G
G
Terrenato
L
L
Tofanelli
S
S
Malaspina
P
P
Novelletto
A
A
D000352:Africa, Northern; D041322:Chromosomes, Human, Y; D004641:Emigration and Immigration; D005060:Europe; D014644:Genetic Variation; D006239:Haplotypes; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010802:Phylogeny; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D020080:Tandem Repeat Sequences