title: Between Andes and Amazon: the genetic profile of the Arawak-speaking Yanesha.
abstract: The Yanesha are a Peruvian population who inhabit an environment transitional between the Andes and Amazonia. They present cultural traits characteristic of both regions, including in the language they speak: Yanesha belongs to the Arawak language family (which very likely originated in the Amazon/Orinoco lowlands), but has been strongly influenced by Quechua, the most widespread language family of the Andes. Given their location and cultural make-up, the Yanesha make for an ideal case study for investigating language and population dynamics across the Andes-Amazonia divide. In this study, we analyze data from high and mid-altitude Yanesha villages, both Y chromosome (17 STRs and 16 SNPs diagnostic for assigning haplogroups) and mtDNA data (control region sequences and 3 SNPs and one INDEL diagnostic for assigning haplogroups). We uncover sex-biased genetic trends that probably arose in different stages: first, a male-biased gene flow from Andean regions, genetically consistent with highland Quechua-speakers and probably dating back to Inca expansion; and second, traces of European contact consistent with Y chromosome lineages from Italy and Tyrol, in line with historically documented migrations. Most research in the history, archaeology and linguistics of South America has long been characterized by perceptions of a sharp divide between the Andes and Amazonia; our results serve as a clear case-study confirming demographic flows across that 'divide'.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Bologna, 40126, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Barbieri
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Heggarty
authors.forename: Daniele
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Yang Yao
authors.forename: Gianmarco
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ferri
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: De Fanti
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sarno
authors.forename: Graziella
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ciani
authors.forename: Alessio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Boattini
authors.forename: Donata
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Luiselli
authors.forename: Davide
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pettener
mesh_terms: D041322:Chromosomes, Human, Y / Q000235:genetics*; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000235:genetics*; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000208:ethnology / Q000235:genetics*; D005838:Genotype; D006239:Haplotypes; D006801:Humans; D007199:Indians, South American / Q000208:ethnology / Q000235:genetics*; D007802:Language; D008297:Male; D018895:Microsatellite Repeats / Q000235:genetics; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide / Q000235:genetics; D013020:South America
chemical_list: D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial
keywords: STR; South America; Y chromosome; language; mtDNA