Distribution of maternal lineages in hunter‐gatherer societies of the southern coast of Tierra del Fuego, Argentina

Abstract

Objectives: The aim of this work is to explore the maternal genetic diversity of hunter-gatherers of the southern Tierra del Fuego, specifically the north coast of Beagle Channel, the Península Mitre, and Isla de los Estados through ancient mitochondrial DNA analysis. Materials and Methods: The hypervariable regions 1 and 2 of the mitochondrial genome of five individuals from the north coast of Beagle Channel, six individuals from Península Mitre, and one individual from Isla de los Estados were analyzed. Through diversity statistics, Analysis of Molecular Variance (AMOVA), and Median Joining networks analyses, maternal relationships in the region were evaluated and phylogenetic similarities between ancient and contemporary populations of Tierra del Fuego were determined. Results: The mitochondrial DNA lineages from the ancient individuals analyzed reveals the presence of subclades C1b and D1g. Pattern of decreasing genetic diversity toward the South is observed. The AMOVAs performed found no statistically significant differences between individuals of the north coast of Beagle Channel and Península Mitre-Isla de los Estados, and modern Yámana populations. Median joining network of haplotypes of clades C1 and D1g, show the same results. Discussion: Ethnohistoric and ethnographic records of Península Mitre show that this region was occupied during the 19th century by Haush or Manekenk populations, although their biological, cultural, and subsistence characterization is unclear. We explore their maternal lineages and encounter low levels of genetic diversity and the absence of population differentiation with modern Yámana groups. We suggest that Península Mitre-Isla de los Estado was part of the same hunting and gathering populations as those of the Beagle Channel.

Uniparental origins of the admixed Argentine Patagonia

“…In addition to the work by Postillone et al (2020), D1g was found in many ancient Fuegian samples dated between <2000 ybp (de la Fuente et al, 2015), 200–132 ybp (Raghavan et al, 2015), 815–220 ybp (Nakatsuka et al, 2020), and 1504–818 ybp (Crespo et al, 2020). In northern continental Patagonia, D1g was found in four ancient samples, two of them dated 2300 ± 47 and 1225 ± 47 ybp, respectively (Crespo, Favier‐Dubois, et al, 2017; Favier‐Dubois, 2009; García‐Guraieb et al, 2015).…”

“…In addition, five C1b samples ascribed to the Haush and Yámana ethnic groups were dated to between 1975 ± 25 and 490 ± 25 14 C ybp (Nakatsuka et al, 2020). Samples from other studies performed in the region were ascribed to the C1 haplogroup (Crespo et al, 2020; de la Fuente et al, 2015; Moraga et al, 2010). Unfortunately, no specific resolution was reached due to methodological limitations, although, it is probable that some of these samples belong to the C1b haplogroup.…”

Ancient DNA analysis reveals temporal and geographical patterns of mitochondrial diversity in pre‐Hispanic populations from Central Argentina

“…Four individuals (two from Plains and two from Sierras ) belonged to the sub‐haplogroup D1g (D1 +16187 ) with additional mutations at positions 16189 and 16209 (H9), which are diagnostic of lineage D1g5 (Bodner et al, 2012). D1g5 is mainly distributed in populations from Patagonia, both modern (de Saint Pierre et al, 2012; Gómez‐Carballa et al, 2016), and ancient (Arencibia et al, 2019; Crespo et al, 2017, 2020; Motti et al, 2019; Parolin et al, 2019). It was also found in modern populations of Western Argentina (García et al, 2018; Motti, 2012), Central Chile (Gómez‐Carballa et al, 2016), and in ancient samples from the Puna in Northwestern Argentina (Postillone et al, 2017) and from the Pampas region (Roca‐Rada et al, 2021).…”

“…There is a growing body of research on the genetic profile of ancient American populations, which provides a temporal context for the study of the peopling of the continent (de la Fuente et al, 2015;Lindo et al, 2018;Llamas et al, 2016;Moraga et al, 2010;Moreno-Mayar et al, 2018;Nakatsuka, Lazaridis, et al, 2020;Posth et al, 2018). Besides, several aDNA studies of pre-Hispanic populations from Argentina have been published, covering most of the territory (Arencibia et al, 2019;Carnese et al, 2010;Crespo et al, 2016Crespo et al, , 2018Crespo et al, , 2020García et al, 2021;Mendisco et al, 2014;Motti et al, 2015;Nakatsuka, Luisi, et al, 2020;Nores et al, , 2017Parolin et al, 2020;Postillone et al, 2017Postillone et al, , 2020Roca-Rada et al, 2021;Russo et al, 2017;Russo, Mendisco, et al, 2018;Tavella et al, 2020).…”

Rótula bipartita y vastus notch: evidencias y posibles causas en cazadores-recolectores de Patagonia Austral

“…Estudios bioantropológicos basados en dimensiones corporales, craneométricas y modificaciones de la bóveda craneal, mostraron que todos los grupos cazadores-recolectores de Patagonia Austral están relacionados biológicamente, aunque existiría un vínculo más estrecho entre aquellos que habitaron Santa Cruz/Magallanes y el norte de Tierra del Fuego que entre estos y los que ocuparon el sur de la Isla y el archipiélago occidental (e.g., Cocilovo et al, 2019). Sin embargo, los resultados obtenidos desde la genética indican una mayor relación entre los grupos que habitaron ambas subregiones de Tierra del Fuego (Crespo et al, 2020;de la Fuente et al, 2015). De acuerdo con los resultados obtenidos en este trabajo, es posible que las poblaciones humanas de Tierra del Fuego tuvieran una predisposición similar a padecer RB por causas del desarrollo.…”