title: Ancient DNA evidence reveals that the Y chromosome haplogroup Q1a1 admixed into the Han Chinese 3,000 years ago.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Y chromosome haplogroup Q1a1 is found almost only in Han Chinese populations. However, it has not been found in ancient Han Chinese samples until now. Thus, the origin of haplogroup Q1a1 in Han Chinese is still obscure. This study attempts to provide answer to this question, and to uncover the origin and paternal genetic structure of the ancestors of the Han Chinese.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty-nine ancient human remains that were excavated from the presumed geographic source of the Han Chinese and dated to approximately 3,000 years ago were treated by the amelogenin gene polymerase chain reaction test, to determine their sex. Then, Y chromosome single nucleotide polymorphisms were subsequently analyzed from the samples detected as male.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Samples from 27 individuals were successfully amplified. Their haplotypes could be attributed to haplogroups N, O*, O2a, O3a, and Q1a1. Analyses showed that the assigned haplogroup of each sample is correlated to the suspected social status and observed burial custom associated with the sample.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The origins of the observed haplotypes and their distribution in present day Han Chinese and in the samples suggest that haplogroup Q1a1 was probably introduced into the Han Chinese population approximately 3,000 years ago.
authors.affiliation: College of Life Science, Jilin University, Changchun, China; College of Life Science, Jilin Normal University, Siping, China.
authors.forename: Yong-Bin
authors.initials: YB
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Ye
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Hong-Jie
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Ying-Qiu
authors.initials: YQ
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhou
mesh_terms: D044466:Asian People / Q000235:genetics*; D002681:China; D041322:Chromosomes, Human, Y / Q000235:genetics*; D005828:Genetics, Population; D006239:Haplotypes; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA