Y chromosome variation in Europe: Continental and local processes in the formation of the extant gene pool

Abstract

The polymorphism of the male-specific portion of the Y chromosome has been increasingly used to describe the composition of the European gene pool and to reconstruct its formation. Here the theoretical grounds and the limitations of this approach are presented, together with the different views on debated issues. The emerging picture for the composition of the male gene pool of the continent is illustrated, but local peculiarities that represent departures from the main trends are also highlighted, in order to illustrate the main unifying feature, i.e. the overlay of recent patterns onto more ancient ones. A synopsis of the main findings and conclusions obtained in regional studies has also been compiled.

Paternal Genetic History of the Basque Population of Spain

“…2004). This European-specific haplogroup is believed to have originated in the Pyrenees before the LGM (Karafet et al 2008;Lopez-Parra et al 2009;Novelletto 2007;Rootsi et al 2004). Several Y haplogroups with TMRCA estimates dated after the advent of agriculture were also detected in the present study: E1b1b, G2a, and J2a (Table 6).…”

Differential Y‐chromosome Anatolian Influences on the Greek and Cretan Neolithic

“…Patterns of Y-chromosome diversification also offer the possibility to dissect other prehistoric events subsequent to the arrival of Neolithic pioneers (Novelletto 2007). Recent Y-chromosome surveys concerning Greece (DiGiacomo et al, 2003) and Crete (Malaspina et al,.…”

Populationsgenetik des Y-Chromosoms

“…Laut dbSNP-Datenbank (s. Infobox 1) sind auf dem Y-Chromosom mehr als 57.000 SNP lokalisiert, wovon rund ein Drittel als validiert gelten kann [9]. Oft auch als UEP ("unique event polymorphism") apostrophiert, bezeichnet ein SNP eine biallelische Basenposition, deren Diversität auf einem einzigen Mutationsereignis beruht, und die aufgrund der geringen Mutationswahrscheinlichkeit von etwa 2×10 −8 je Basenpaar und Generation nur in äußerst seltenen Ausnahmefällen von einer weiteren Mutation betroffen ist.…”