title: Bayesian analyses of Yemeni mitochondrial genomes suggest multiple migration events with Africa and Western Eurasia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Anatomically, modern humans are thought to have migrated out of Africa ∼60,000 years ago in the first successful global dispersal. This initial migration may have passed through Yemen, a region that has experienced multiple migrations events with Africa and Eurasia throughout human history. We use Bayesian phylogenetics to determine how ancient and recent migrations have shaped Yemeni mitogenomic variation.
  
  
  METHODS
  We sequenced 113 mitogenomes from multiple Yemeni regions with a focus on haplogroups M, N, and L3(xM,N) as these groups have the oldest evolutionary history outside of Africa. We performed Bayesian evolutionary analyses to generate time-measured phylogenies calibrated by Neanderthal and Denisovan mitogenomes in order to determine the age of Yemeni-specific clades.
  
  
  RESULTS
  As defined by Yemeni monophyly, Yemeni in situ evolution is limited to the Holocene or latest Pleistocene (ages of clades in subhaplogroups L3b1a1a, L3h2, L3x1, M1a1f, M1a5, N1a1a3, and N1a3 range from 2 to 14 kya) and is often situated within broader Horn of Africa/southern Arabia in situ evolution (L3h2, L3x1, M1a1f, M1a5, and N1a1a3 ages range from 7 to 29 kya). Five subhaplogroups show no monophyly and are candidates for Holocene migration into Yemen (L0a2a2a, L3d1a1a, L3i2, M1a1b, and N1b1a).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Yemeni mitogenomes are largely the product of Holocene migration, and subsequent in situ evolution, from Africa and western Eurasia. However, we hypothesize that recent population movements may obscure the genetic signature of more ancient migrations. Additional research, e.g., analyses of Yemeni nuclear genetic data, is needed to better reconstruct the complex population and migration histories associated with Out of Africa.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anthropology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611-7305.|Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610-3610.
authors.forename: Deven N
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Vyas
authors.affiliation: Department of Anthropology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, 52242.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kitchen
authors.affiliation: Department of Anthropology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611-7305.|Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610-3610.
authors.forename: Aida T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Miró-Herrans
authors.affiliation: Department of Anthropology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611-7305.|Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610-3610.
authors.forename: Laurel N
authors.initials: LN
authors.lastname: Pearson
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Sana'a, Sana'a, Yemen.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Al-Meeri
authors.affiliation: Department of Anthropology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611-7305.|Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610-3610.
authors.forename: Connie J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Mulligan
mesh_terms: D000349:Africa; D000885:Anthropology, Physical; D001211:Asia, Western; D001499:Bayes Theorem; D005060:Europe; D054629:Genome, Mitochondrial / Q000235:genetics*; D006239:Haplotypes; D049690:History, Ancient; D063426:Human Migration; D006801:Humans; D010802:Phylogeny; D015006:Yemen
keywords: Bayesian phylogenetics; Yemen; human migration; mitogenomes; out-of-Africa