title: Multiple ethnic origins of mitochondrial DNA lineages for the population of Mauritius.
abstract: This article reports on the first genetic assessment of the contemporary Mauritian population. Small island nodes such as Mauritius played a critical role in historic globalization processes and revealing high-resolution details of labour sourcing is crucial in order to better understand early-modern diaspora events. Mauritius is a particularly interesting case given detailed historic accounts attesting to European (Dutch, French and British), African and Asian points of origin. Ninety-seven samples were analysed for mitochondrial DNA to begin unravelling the complex dynamics of the island's modern population. In corroboration with general demographic information, the majority of maternal lineages were derived from South Asia (58.76%), with Malagasy (16.60%), East/Southeast Asian (11.34%) and Sub-Saharan African (10.21%) also making significant contributions. This study pinpoints specific regional origins for the South Asian genetic contribution, showing a greater influence on the contemporary population from northern and southeast India. Moreover, the analysis of lineages related to the slave trade demonstrated that Madagascar and East Asia were the main centres of origin, with less influence from West Africa.
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Las Palmas, Spain; Department of Genetics, Faculty of Biology, University of La Laguna, La Laguna, Spain; Department of Anthropology, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States of America.
authors.forename: Rosa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fregel
authors.affiliation: Department of Anthropology, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States of America.
authors.forename: Krish
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Seetah
authors.affiliation: Forensic Genetics Laboratory, Institute of Legal Medicine of Las Palmas, Las Palmas, Spain.
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Betancor
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Las Palmas, Spain.
authors.forename: Nicolás M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Suárez
authors.affiliation: Department of Anthropology, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States of America; IDEAS Interdepartmental Centre, Ca'Foscari University, Venice, Italy.
authors.forename: Diego
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Čaval
authors.affiliation: Department of Anthropology, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States of America.
authors.forename: Saša
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Caval
authors.affiliation: Department of History, University of Mauritius, Reduit, Mauritius.
authors.forename: Anwar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Janoo
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Las Palmas, Spain; Forensic Genetics Laboratory, Institute of Legal Medicine of Las Palmas, Las Palmas, Spain.
authors.forename: Jose
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pestano
mesh_terms: D044466:Asian People / Q000235:genetics* / Q000266:history; D044383:Black People / Q000235:genetics* / Q000266:history; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D051456:Gene Flow; D005828:Genetics, Population; D006239:Haplotypes; D049670:History, 17th Century; D049671:History, 18th Century; D049672:History, 19th Century; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008436:Mauritius; D058974:Phylogeography; D044465:White People / Q000235:genetics* / Q000266:history
chemical_list: D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial