Phylogeographic Analysis of Haplogroup E3b (E-M215) Y Chromosomes Reveals Multiple Migratory Events Within and Out Of Africa

Abstract

We explored the phylogeography of human Y-chromosomal haplogroup E3b by analyzing 3401 individuals from five continents. Our data refine the phylogeny of the entire haplogroup, which appears as a collection of lineages with very different evolutionary histories, and reveal signatures of several distinct processes of migrations and/or recurrent gene flow that occurred in Africa and western Eurasia over the past 25000 years. In Europe, the overall frequency pattern of haplogroup E-M78 does not support the hypothesis of a uniform spread of people from a single parental Near Eastern population. The distribution of E-M81 chromosomes in Africa closely matches the present area of distribution of Berber-speaking populations on the continent, suggesting a close haplogroup-ethnic group parallelism. E-M34 chromosomes were more likely introduced in Ethiopia from the Near East. In conclusion, the present study shows that earlier work based on fewer Y-chromosome markers led to rather simple historical interpretations and highlights the fact that many population-genetic analyses are not robust to a poorly resolved phylogeny.

Moors and Saracens in Europe: estimating the medieval North African male legacy in southern Europe

“…Total frequencies for these chromosomes range between 0 and 19% across southern Europe, the highest being in Cantabria and comprising a sample from the Pas Valley, previously shown to have an extremely high frequency of the North African haplogroup E1b1b1b. 9 Our estimates of NW African chromosome frequencies were highest in Iberia and Sicily, in accordance with the long-term Arab rule in these two areas. 3 The chromosome frequencies in the two samples were not significantly different from each other (Fisher's exact test P ¼ 0.83) but were both significantly different from the peninsular Italy sample (Po0.01).…”

“…The coalescent times for the three NW African specific haplogroups North African male medieval legacy in southern Europe C Capelli et al ranges between 5000 and 24 000 years, spanning a number of historical scenarios each potentially explaining their presence on the Northern Mediterranean shores. 9,10 It follows that estimating MNA genetic legacy on the basis of haplogroups' occurrence only would be misleading. To avoid this limitation, we have extended our analysis to include STR data whose high mutation rate allows one to focus on more recent events.…”

“…5 -7,19 -21 We also included a Basque dataset 22,23 and two novel Italian samples (Lucera and Veneto; Table 1). Within these populations, all E1b1b1a chromosomes were scored for the DYS439 locus to identify the E1b1b1a-b cluster 9 and the M267 marker was investigated in those chromosomes previously identified as J*(xJ2). Alternatively, the DYS458 .2 allele was used to identify the J1 types within J*(xJ2) chromosomes.…”

Human Y chromosome haplogroup R-V88: a paternal genetic record of early mid Holocene trans-Saharan connections and the spread of Chadic languages

“…However, genetic studies have been limited and mainly focused on uniparental markers and the role of the Nile basin as a corridor for human movements between northeastern and eastern Africa. [11][12][13][14] There have only been a few high-resolution analyses to date regarding the distribution of Y-specific haplogroups in the African continent. The emerging picture indicates a clear differentiation between central/western sub-Saharan and northern African populations.…”

The genetic landscape of Equatorial Guinea and the origin and migration routes of the Y chromosome haplogroup R-V88

“…Other non-Bantu lineages found within this haplogroup are E1b1b1a-M78 and E1b1b1-M81, which have been frequently found in North Africa and also in Europe. 32 Both haplogroups G and N (accounting for two and one chromosomes, respectively) are rare in Africa, and their low frequency in this sample can most likely be explained by a recent Eurasian influx. Altogether, the proportion of recent Eurasian admixture found in our sample is approximately 15% (haplogroups E1b1b1b-M81, G-M201, N1c-Tat, R1b1b2-M269 and two chromosomes belonging to E1b1b1a-M78-see criteria below), which is easily explained by the well-reported European arrivals to this territory within the last five centuries.…”