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D'Atanasio E, Risi F, Ravasini F, Montinaro F, Hajiesmaeil M, Bonucci B, Pistacchia L, Amoako-Sakyi D, Bonito M, Onidi S, Colombo G, Semino O, Destro Bisol G, Anagnostou P, Metspalu M, Tambets K, Trombetta B, Cruciani F. The genomic echoes of the last Green Sahara on the Fulani and Sahelian people. Curr Biol 2023; 33:5495-5504.e4. [PMID: 37995693 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.10.075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2023] [Revised: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023]
Abstract
The population history of the Sahara/Sahelian belt is understudied, despite previous work highlighting complex dynamics.1,2,3,4,5,6,7 The Sahelian Fulani, i.e., the largest nomadic pastoral population in the world,8 represent an interesting case because they show a non-negligible proportion of an Eurasian genetic component, usually explained by recent admixture with northern Africans.1,2,5,6,7,9,10,11,12 Nevertheless, their origins are largely unknown, although several hypotheses have been proposed, including a possible link to ancient peoples settled in the Sahara during its last humid phase (Green Sahara, 12,000-5,000 years before present [BP]).13,14,15 To shed light about the Fulani ancient genetic roots, we produced 23 high-coverage (30×) whole genomes from Fulani individuals from 8 Sahelian countries, plus 17 samples from other African groups and 3 from Europeans as controls, for a total of 43 new whole genomes. These data have been compared with 814 published modern whole genomes2,16,17,18 and with relevant published ancient sequences (> 1,800 samples).19 These analyses showed some evidence that the non-sub-Saharan genetic ancestry component of the Fulani might have also been shaped by older events,1,5,6 possibly tracing the Fulani origins to unsampled ancient Green Saharan population(s). The joint analysis of modern and ancient samples allowed us to shed light on the genetic ancestry composition of such ancient Saharans, suggesting a similarity with Late Neolithic Moroccans and possibly pointing to a link with the spread of cattle herding. We also identified two different Fulani clusters whose admixture pattern may be informative about the historical Fulani movements and their later involvement in the western African empires.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eugenia D'Atanasio
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Pathology, National Research Council, 00185 Rome, Italy.
| | - Flavia Risi
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Francesco Ravasini
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Francesco Montinaro
- Department of Biology, University of Bari, 70121 Bari, Italy; Institute of Genomics, University of Tartu, 51010 Tartu, Estonia
| | - Mogge Hajiesmaeil
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | | | - Letizia Pistacchia
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Pathology, National Research Council, 00185 Rome, Italy; Department of Biology and Biotechnology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Daniel Amoako-Sakyi
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana
| | - Maria Bonito
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Sara Onidi
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Giulia Colombo
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Ornella Semino
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Giovanni Destro Bisol
- Department of Enviromental Biology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy; Istituto Italiano di Antropologia, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Paolo Anagnostou
- Department of Enviromental Biology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Mait Metspalu
- Institute of Genomics, University of Tartu, 51010 Tartu, Estonia
| | | | - Beniamino Trombetta
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Fulvio Cruciani
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Pathology, National Research Council, 00185 Rome, Italy; Department of Biology and Biotechnology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy.
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2
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Aizpurua-Iraola J, Abdeli A, Benhassine T, Calafell F, Comas D. Whole mitogenomes reveal that NW Africa has acted both as a source and a destination for multiple human movements. Sci Rep 2023; 13:10395. [PMID: 37369751 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-37549-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2023] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite being enclosed between the Mediterranean Sea and the Sahara Desert, North Africa has been the scenario of multiple human migrations that have shaped the genetic structure of its present-day populations. Despite its richness, North Africa remains underrepresented in genomic studies. To overcome this, we have sequenced and analyzed 264 mitogenomes from the Algerian Chaoui-speaking Imazighen (a.k.a. Berbers) living in the Aurès region. The maternal genetic composition of the Aurès is similar to Arab populations in the region, dominated by West Eurasian lineages with a moderate presence of M1/U6 North African and L sub-Saharan lineages. When focusing on the time and geographic origin of the North African specific clades within the non-autochthonous haplogroups, different geographical neighboring regions contributed to the North African maternal gene pool during time periods that could be attributed to previously suggested admixture events in the region, since Paleolithic times to recent historical movements such as the Arabization. We have also observed the role of North Africa as a source of geneflow mainly in Southern European regions since Neolithic times. Finally, the present work constitutes an effort to increase the representation of North African populations in genetic databases, which is key to understand their history.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julen Aizpurua-Iraola
- Departament de Medicina i Ciències de la Vida, Institut de Biologia Evolutiva (CSIC-UPF), Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Amine Abdeli
- Laboratorie de Biologie Cellulaire et Moléculaire, Faculté des Sciences Biologiques, Université des Sciences et de la Technologie Houari Boumediene, Alger, Algeria
| | - Traki Benhassine
- Laboratorie de Biologie Cellulaire et Moléculaire, Faculté des Sciences Biologiques, Université des Sciences et de la Technologie Houari Boumediene, Alger, Algeria
| | - Francesc Calafell
- Departament de Medicina i Ciències de la Vida, Institut de Biologia Evolutiva (CSIC-UPF), Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - David Comas
- Departament de Medicina i Ciències de la Vida, Institut de Biologia Evolutiva (CSIC-UPF), Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain.
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3
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Černý V, Priehodová E, Fortes-Lima C. A Population Genetic Perspective on Subsistence Systems in the Sahel/Savannah Belt of Africa and the Historical Role of Pastoralism. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:genes14030758. [PMID: 36981029 PMCID: PMC10048103 DOI: 10.3390/genes14030758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Revised: 02/26/2023] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
This review focuses on the Sahel/Savannah belt, a large region of Africa where two alternative subsistence systems (pastoralism and agriculture), nowadays, interact. It is a long-standing question whether the pastoralists became isolated here from other populations after cattle began to spread into Africa (~8 thousand years ago, kya) or, rather, began to merge with other populations, such as agropastoralists, after the domestication of sorghum and pearl millet (~5 kya) and with the subsequent spread of agriculture. If we look at lactase persistence, a trait closely associated with pastoral lifestyle, we see that its variants in current pastoralists distinguish them from their farmer neighbours. Most other (mostly neutral) genetic polymorphisms do not, however, indicate such clear differentiation between these groups; they suggest a common origin and/or an extensive gene flow. Genetic affinity and ecological symbiosis between the two subsistence systems can help us better understand the population history of this African region. In this review, we show that genomic datasets of modern Sahel/Savannah belt populations properly collected in local populations can complement the still insufficient archaeological research of this region, especially when dealing with the prehistory of mobile populations with perishable material culture and therefore precarious archaeological visibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viktor Černý
- Archaeogenetics Laboratory, Institute of Archaeology of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Letenská 1, 118 01 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Edita Priehodová
- Archaeogenetics Laboratory, Institute of Archaeology of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Letenská 1, 118 01 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Cesar Fortes-Lima
- Human Evolution, Department of Organismal Biology, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University, Norbyvägen 18C, 752 36 Uppsala, Sweden
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4
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Fortes-Lima C, Tříska P, Čížková M, Podgorná E, Diallo MY, Schlebusch CM, Černý V. Demographic and Selection Histories of Populations Across the Sahel/Savannah Belt. Mol Biol Evol 2022; 39:6731090. [PMID: 36173804 PMCID: PMC9582163 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msac209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The Sahel/Savannah belt harbors diverse populations with different demographic histories and different subsistence patterns. However, populations from this large African region are notably under-represented in genomic research. To investigate the population structure and adaptation history of populations from the Sahel/Savannah space, we generated dense genome-wide genotype data of 327 individuals-comprising 14 ethnolinguistic groups, including 10 previously unsampled populations. Our results highlight fine-scale population structure and complex patterns of admixture, particularly in Fulani groups and Arabic-speaking populations. Among all studied Sahelian populations, only the Rashaayda Arabic-speaking population from eastern Sudan shows a lack of gene flow from African groups, which is consistent with the short history of this population in the African continent. They are recent migrants from Saudi Arabia with evidence of strong genetic isolation during the last few generations and a strong demographic bottleneck. This population also presents a strong selection signal in a genomic region around the CNR1 gene associated with substance dependence and chronic stress. In Western Sahelian populations, signatures of selection were detected in several other genetic regions, including pathways associated with lactase persistence, immune response, and malaria resistance. Taken together, these findings refine our current knowledge of genetic diversity, population structure, migration, admixture and adaptation of human populations in the Sahel/Savannah belt and contribute to our understanding of human history and health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cesar Fortes-Lima
- Human Evolution, Department of Organismal Biology, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Petr Tříska
- Archaeogenetics Laboratory, Institute of Archaeology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Martina Čížková
- Archaeogenetics Laboratory, Institute of Archaeology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Eliška Podgorná
- Archaeogenetics Laboratory, Institute of Archaeology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Mame Yoro Diallo
- Archaeogenetics Laboratory, Institute of Archaeology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic,Department of Anthropology and Human Genetics, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
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5
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Circum-Saharan Prehistory through the Lens of mtDNA Diversity. Genes (Basel) 2022; 13:genes13030533. [PMID: 35328086 PMCID: PMC8951852 DOI: 10.3390/genes13030533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2022] [Revised: 02/17/2022] [Accepted: 02/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
African history has been significantly influenced by the Sahara, which has represented a barrier for migrations of all living beings, including humans. Major exceptions were the gene flow events that took place between North African and sub-Saharan populations during the so-called African Humid Periods, especially in the Early Holocene (11.5 to 5.5 thousand years ago), and more recently in connection with trans-Saharan commercial routes. In this study, we describe mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) diversity of human populations from both sides of the Sahara Desert, i.e., both from North Africa and the Sahel/Savannah belt. The final dataset of 7213 mtDNA sequences from 134 African populations encompasses 470 newly collected and 6743 previously published samples, which were analyzed using descriptive methods and Bayesian statistics. We completely sequenced 26 mtDNAs from sub-Saharan samples belonging to the Eurasian haplogroup N1. Analyses of these N1 mitogenomes revealed their possible routes to the Sahel, mostly via Bab el-Mandab. Our results indicate that maternal gene flow must have been important in this circum-Saharan space, not only within North Africa and the Sahel/Savannah belt but also between these two regions.
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6
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Kulichová I, Mouterde M, Mokhtar MG, Diallo I, Tříska P, Diallo YM, Hofmanová Z, Poloni ES, Černý V. Demographic history was a formative mechanism of the genetic structure for the taste receptor TAS2R16 in human populations inhabiting Africa's Sahel/Savannah Belt. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2022; 177:540-555. [PMID: 34846066 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2021] [Revised: 10/05/2021] [Accepted: 11/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Mode of subsistence is an important factor influencing dietary habits and the genetic structure of various populations through differential intensity of gene flow and selection pressures. Previous studies suggest that in Africa Taste 2 Receptor Member 16 (TAS2R16), which encodes the 7-transmembrane receptor protein for bitterness, might also be under positive selection pressure. METHODS However, since sampling coverage of populations was limited, we created a new TAS2R16 population dataset from across the African Sahel/Savannah belt representing various local populations of differing subsistence modes, linguistic affiliations, and geographic provenience. We sequenced the TAS2R16 exon gene and analyzed 2250 haplotypes among 19 populations. RESULTS We found no evidence for selection as a driving force of genetic variation at this locus; instead, we discovered a highly significant correlation between TAS2R16 genetic and geographical distances based on provenience of the sampled populations, strongly suggesting that genetic drift most likely prevailed over positive selection at this specific locus. We also found significant correlations with other independent loci, mainly in sedentary farmers. DISCUSSION Our results do not support the notion that the genetic diversity of TAS2R16 in Sahelian populations was shaped by selective pressures. This could result from several alternative and not mutually exclusive mechanisms, of which the possibility that, due to the pleiotropic nature of TAS2R16, selective pressures on other traits could counterbalance those acting on bitter taste perception, or that the change of diet in the Neolithic generally relaxed selective pressure on this gene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iva Kulichová
- Archaeogenetics Laboratory, Institute of Archaeology of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Prague, Czech Republic.,Department of Anthropology and Human Genetics, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Médéric Mouterde
- Department of Genetics and Evolution, Anthropology Unit, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Mohammed G Mokhtar
- Arabic Department, Faculty of Arts, University of Kordofan, Al-Ubayyid, Sudan
| | - Issa Diallo
- Département de Linguistique et Langues Nationales, Institut des Sciences des Sociétés, CNRST, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
| | - Petr Tříska
- Archaeogenetics Laboratory, Institute of Archaeology of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Yoro Mame Diallo
- Archaeogenetics Laboratory, Institute of Archaeology of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Prague, Czech Republic.,Department of Anthropology and Human Genetics, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Zuzana Hofmanová
- Department of Archaeogenetics, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany.,Department of Archaeology and Museology, Faculty of Arts, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Estella S Poloni
- Department of Genetics and Evolution, Anthropology Unit, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.,Institute of Genetics and Genomics of Geneva (iGE3), Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Viktor Černý
- Archaeogenetics Laboratory, Institute of Archaeology of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Prague, Czech Republic
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7
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Campbell MC, Ranciaro A. Human adaptation, demography and cattle domestication: an overview of the complexity of lactase persistence in Africa. Hum Mol Genet 2021; 30:R98-R109. [PMID: 33847744 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddab027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2020] [Revised: 01/13/2021] [Accepted: 01/13/2021] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Lactase persistence (LP) is a genetically-determined trait that is prevalent in African, European and Arab populations with a tradition of animal herding and milk consumption. To date, genetic analyses have identified several common variants that are associated with LP. Furthermore, data have indicated that these functional alleles likely have been maintained in pastoralist populations due to the action of recent selection, exemplifying the ongoing evolution of anatomically modern humans. Additionally, demographic history has also played a role in the geographic distribution of LP and associated alleles in Africa. In particular, the migration of ancestral herders and their subsequent admixture with local populations were integral to the spread of LP alleles and the culture of pastoralism across the continent. The timing of these demographic events was often correlated with known major environmental changes and/or the ability of domesticated cattle to resist/avoid infectious diseases. This review summarizes recent advances in our understanding of the genetic basis and evolutionary history of LP, as well as the factors that influenced the origin and spread of pastoralism in Africa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael C Campbell
- Department of Biology, Howard University, EE Just Hall Biology Building, 415 College Street NW, Washington, DC 20059, USA
| | - Alessia Ranciaro
- Department of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, 415 Curie Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
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8
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Černý V, Fortes-Lima C, Tříska P. Demographic history and admixture dynamics in African Sahelian populations. Hum Mol Genet 2020; 30:R29-R36. [PMID: 33105478 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddaa239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2020] [Revised: 10/20/2020] [Accepted: 10/22/2020] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The Sahel/Savannah belt of Africa is a contact zone between two subsistence systems (nomadic pastoralism and sedentary farming) and of two groups of populations, namely Eurasians penetrating from northern Africa southwards and sub-Saharan Africans migrating northwards. Because pastoralism is characterized by a high degree of mobility, it leaves few significant archaeological traces. Demographic history seen through the lens of population genetic studies complements our historical and archaeological knowledge in this African region. In this review, we highlight recent advances in our understanding of demographic history in the Sahel/Savannah belt as revealed by genetic studies. We show the impact of food-producing subsistence strategies on population structure and the somewhat different migration patterns in the western and eastern part of the region. Genomic studies show that the gene pool of various groups of Sahelians consists in a complex mosaic of several ancestries. We also touch upon various signals of genetic adaptations such as lactase persistence, taste sensitivity and malaria resistance, all of which have different distribution patterns among Sahelian populations. Overall, genetic studies contribute to gain a deeper understanding about the demographic and adaptive history of human populations in this specific African region and beyond.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viktor Černý
- Department of Anthropology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Cesar Fortes-Lima
- Subdepartment of Human Evolution, Department of Organismal Biology, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Petr Tříska
- Archaeogenetics Laboratory, Institute of Archaeology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
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9
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Fleskes RE, Ofunniyin AA, Gilmore JK, Poplin E, Abel SM, Bueschgen WD, Juarez C, Butler N, Mishoe G, Oubré L, Cabana GS, Schurr TG. Ancestry, health, and lived experiences of enslaved Africans in 18th century Charleston: An osteobiographical analysis. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2020; 175:3-24. [PMID: 33022107 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2020] [Revised: 08/30/2020] [Accepted: 09/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES In 2013, the burials of 36 individuals of putative African ancestry were discovered during renovation of the Gaillard Center in downtown Charleston, South Carolina. The Charleston community facilitated a bioarchaeological and mitogenomic study to gain insights into the lives of these unknown persons, referred to as the Anson Street Ancestors, including their ancestry, health, and lived experiences in the 18th century. METHODS Metric and morphological assessments of skeletal and dental characteristics were recorded, and enamel and cortical bone strontium stable isotope values generated. Whole mitochondrial genomes were sequenced and analyzed. RESULTS Osteological analysis identified adults, both females and males, and subadults at the site, and estimated African ancestry for most individuals. Skeletal trauma and pathology were infrequent, but many individuals exhibited dental decay and abscesses. Strontium isotope data suggested these individuals mostly originated in Charleston or sub-Saharan Africa, with many being long-term residents of Charleston. Nearly all had mitochondrial lineages belonging to African haplogroups (L0-L3, H1cb1a), with two individuals sharing the same L3e2a haplotype, while one had a Native American A2 mtDNA. DISCUSSION This study generated detailed osteobiographies of the Anson Street Ancestors, who were likely of enslaved status. Our results indicate that the Ancestors have diverse maternal African ancestries and are largely unrelated, with most being born locally. These details reveal the demographic impact of the trans-Atlantic slave trade. Our analysis further illuminates the lived experiences of individuals buried at Anson Street, and expands our understanding of 18th century African history in Charleston.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raquel E Fleskes
- Department of Anthropology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Ade A Ofunniyin
- The Gullah Society, Inc., Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, USA.,Department of Sociology and Anthropology, The College of Charleston, Charleston, South Carolina, USA
| | - Joanna K Gilmore
- The Gullah Society, Inc., Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, USA.,Department of Sociology and Anthropology, The College of Charleston, Charleston, South Carolina, USA
| | - Eric Poplin
- Brockington and Associates, Inc., Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, USA
| | - Suzanne M Abel
- Charleston County Coroner's Office, North Charleston, South Carolina, USA
| | - Wolf D Bueschgen
- Charleston County Coroner's Office, North Charleston, South Carolina, USA
| | - Chelsey Juarez
- Department of Anthropology, California State University, Fresno, California, USA
| | - Nic Butler
- Charleston County Public Library, Charleston, South Carolina, USA
| | - Grant Mishoe
- The Gullah Society, Inc., Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, USA
| | - La'Sheia Oubré
- The Gullah Society, Inc., Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, USA
| | - Graciela S Cabana
- Department of Anthropology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Theodore G Schurr
- Department of Anthropology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
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10
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Della Rocca C, Cannone F, D'Atanasio E, Bonito M, Anagnostou P, Russo G, Barni F, Alladio E, Destro-Bisol G, Trombetta B, Berti A, Cruciani F. Ethnic fragmentation and degree of urbanization strongly affect the discrimination power of Y-STR haplotypes in central Sahel. Forensic Sci Int Genet 2020; 49:102374. [PMID: 32890883 DOI: 10.1016/j.fsigen.2020.102374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2020] [Revised: 07/06/2020] [Accepted: 08/16/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Y chromosome short tandem repeats (Y-STRs) are commonly used to identify male lineages for investigative and judicial purposes and could represent the only source of male-specific genetic information from unbalanced female-male mixtures. The Yfiler Plus multiplex, which includes twenty conventional and seven rapidly-mutating Y-STRs, represents the most discriminating patrilineal system commercially available to date. Over the past five years, this multiplex has been used to analyze several Eurasian populations, with a reported discrimination capacity (DC) approaching or corresponding to the highest possible value. However, despite the inclusion of rapidly mutating Y-STRs, extensive haplotype sharing was still reported for some African populations due to a number of different factors affecting the effective population size. In the present study, we analyzed 27 Y-STRs included in the Yfiler Plus multiplex and 82 Y-SNPs in central Sahel (northern Cameroon and western Chad), an African region characterized by a strong ethnic fragmentation and linguistic diversity. We evaluated the effects of population sub-structuring on genetic diversity by stratifying a sample composed of 431 males according to their ethnicity (44 different ethnic groups) and urbanization degree (four villages and four towns). Overall, we observed a low discrimination capacity (DC = 0.90), with 71 subjects (16.5 %) sharing 27 Y-STR haplotypes. Haplotype sharing was essentially limited to subjects with the same binary haplogroup, coming from the same location and belonging to the same ethnic group. Haplotype sharing was much higher in rural areas (average DC = 0.83) than urban settlements (average DC = 0.96) with a significant correlation between DC and census size (r = 0.89; p = 0.003). Notably, we found that genetic differentiation between villages from the same country (ΦST = 0.14) largely exceeded that found among countries (ΦST = 0.02). These findings have important implications for the choice of the appropriate reference population database to evaluate the statistical relevance of forensic Y-haplotype matches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Della Rocca
- Dipartimento di Biologia e Biotecnologie "Charles Darwin", Sapienza Università di Roma, P.le Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Francesco Cannone
- Reparto Carabinieri Investigazioni Scientifiche di Roma - Sezione di Biologia, Viale Tor di Quinto 119, 00191, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Maria Bonito
- Dipartimento di Biologia e Biotecnologie "Charles Darwin", Sapienza Università di Roma, P.le Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Paolo Anagnostou
- Dipartimento di Biologia Ambientale, Sapienza Università di Roma, P.le Aldo Moro 5, 00185 - Rome, Italy; Istituto Italiano di Antropologia, Rome, Italy
| | - Gianluca Russo
- Dipartimento di Sanità Pubblica e Malattie Infettive, Sapienza Università di Roma, P.le Aldo Moro 5, 00185, Rome, Italy
| | - Filippo Barni
- Reparto Carabinieri Investigazioni Scientifiche di Roma - Sezione di Biologia, Viale Tor di Quinto 119, 00191, Rome, Italy
| | - Eugenio Alladio
- Reparto Carabinieri Investigazioni Scientifiche di Roma - Sezione di Biologia, Viale Tor di Quinto 119, 00191, Rome, Italy
| | - Giovanni Destro-Bisol
- Dipartimento di Biologia Ambientale, Sapienza Università di Roma, P.le Aldo Moro 5, 00185 - Rome, Italy; Istituto Italiano di Antropologia, Rome, Italy
| | - Beniamino Trombetta
- Dipartimento di Biologia e Biotecnologie "Charles Darwin", Sapienza Università di Roma, P.le Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Andrea Berti
- Reparto Carabinieri Investigazioni Scientifiche di Roma - Sezione di Biologia, Viale Tor di Quinto 119, 00191, Rome, Italy
| | - Fulvio Cruciani
- Dipartimento di Biologia e Biotecnologie "Charles Darwin", Sapienza Università di Roma, P.le Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy; Istituto di Biologia e Patologia Molecolari, CNR, Rome, Italy.
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11
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Priehodová E, Austerlitz F, Čížková M, Nováčková J, Ricaut FX, Hofmanová Z, Schlebusch CM, Černý V. Sahelian pastoralism from the perspective of variants associated with lactase persistence. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2020; 173:423-436. [PMID: 32812238 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2020] [Revised: 04/17/2020] [Accepted: 06/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Archeological evidence shows that first nomadic pastoralists came to the African Sahel from northeastern Sahara, where milking is reported by ~7.5 ka. A second wave of pastoralists arrived with the expansion of Arabic tribes in 7th-14th century CE. All Sahelian pastoralists depend on milk production but genetic diversity underlying their lactase persistence (LP) is poorly understood. MATERIALS AND METHODS We investigated SNP variants associated with LP in 1,241 individuals from 29 mostly pastoralist populations in the Sahel. Then, we analyzed six SNPs in the neighboring fragment (419 kb) in the Fulani and Tuareg with the -13910*T mutation, reconstructed haplotypes, and calculated expansion age and growth rate of this variant. RESULTS Our results reveal a geographic localization of two different LP variants in the Sahel: -13910*T west of Lake Chad (Fulani and Tuareg pastoralists) and -13915*G east of there (mostly Arabic-speaking pastoralists). We show that -13910*T has a more diversified haplotype background among the Fulani than among the Tuareg and that the age estimate for expansion of this variant among the Fulani (~8.5 ka) corresponds to introduction of cattle to the area. CONCLUSIONS This is the first study showing that the "Eurasian" LP allele -13910*T is widespread both in northern Europe and in the Sahel; however, it is limited to pastoralists in the Sahel. Since the Fulani haplotype with -13910*T is shared with contemporary Eurasians, its origin could be in a region encompassing the Near East and northeastern Africa in a population ancestral to both Saharan pastoralists and European farmers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edita Priehodová
- Archaeogenetics Laboratory, Institute of Archaeology of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Frédéric Austerlitz
- UMR 7206 EcoAnthropologie et Ethnobiologie, CNRS/MNHN/Université Paris Diderot, Musée de l'Homme, Paris, France
| | - Martina Čížková
- Archaeogenetics Laboratory, Institute of Archaeology of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Jana Nováčková
- Archaeogenetics Laboratory, Institute of Archaeology of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - François-Xavier Ricaut
- Department of Evolution and Biological Diversity (UMR 5174), Université de Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées, CNRS, IRD, UPS, Toulouse, France
| | - Zuzana Hofmanová
- Archaeogenetics Laboratory, Institute of Archaeology of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Carina M Schlebusch
- Department of Organismal Biology, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.,Palaeo-Research Institute, University of Johannesburg, Auckland Park, South Africa.,SciLifeLab, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Viktor Černý
- Archaeogenetics Laboratory, Institute of Archaeology of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Prague, Czech Republic
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12
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Nováčková J, Čížková M, Mokhtar MG, Duda P, Stenzl V, Tříska P, Hofmanová Z, Černý V. Subsistence strategy was the main factor driving population differentiation in the bidirectional corridor of the African Sahel. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2020; 171:496-508. [DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2019] [Revised: 11/19/2019] [Accepted: 12/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jana Nováčková
- Archaeogenetics LaboratoryInstitute of Archaeology of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic Prague Czech Republic
| | - Martina Čížková
- Archaeogenetics LaboratoryInstitute of Archaeology of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic Prague Czech Republic
| | | | - Pavel Duda
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of ScienceUniversity of South Bohemia České Budějovice Czech Republic
| | - Vlastimil Stenzl
- Department of Forensic GeneticsInstitute of Criminalistics Prague Czech Republic
| | - Petr Tříska
- Archaeogenetics LaboratoryInstitute of Archaeology of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic Prague Czech Republic
| | - Zuzana Hofmanová
- Archaeogenetics LaboratoryInstitute of Archaeology of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic Prague Czech Republic
| | - Viktor Černý
- Archaeogenetics LaboratoryInstitute of Archaeology of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic Prague Czech Republic
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13
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Vicente M, Priehodová E, Diallo I, Podgorná E, Poloni ES, Černý V, Schlebusch CM. Population history and genetic adaptation of the Fulani nomads: inferences from genome-wide data and the lactase persistence trait. BMC Genomics 2019; 20:915. [PMID: 31791255 PMCID: PMC6888939 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-019-6296-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2019] [Accepted: 11/15/2019] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Human population history in the Holocene was profoundly impacted by changes in lifestyle following the invention and adoption of food-production practices. These changes triggered significant increases in population sizes and expansions over large distances. Here we investigate the population history of the Fulani, a pastoral population extending throughout the African Sahel/Savannah belt. Results Based on genome-wide analyses we propose that ancestors of the Fulani population experienced admixture between a West African group and a group carrying both European and North African ancestries. This admixture was likely coupled with newly adopted herding practices, as it resulted in signatures of genetic adaptation in contemporary Fulani genomes, including the control element of the LCT gene enabling carriers to digest lactose throughout their lives. The lactase persistence (LP) trait in the Fulani is conferred by the presence of the allele T-13910, which is also present at high frequencies in Europe. We establish that the T-13910 LP allele in Fulani individuals analysed in this study lies on a European haplotype background thus excluding parallel convergent evolution. We furthermore directly link the T-13910 haplotype with the Lactase Persistence phenotype through a Genome Wide Association study (GWAS) and identify another genomic region in the vicinity of the SPRY2 gene associated with glycaemic measurements after lactose intake. Conclusions Our findings suggest that Eurasian admixture and the European LP allele was introduced into the Fulani through contact with a North African population/s. We furthermore confirm the link between the lactose digestion phenotype in the Fulani to the MCM6/LCT locus by reporting the first GWAS of the lactase persistence trait. We also explored other signals of recent adaptation in the Fulani and identified additional candidates for selection to adapt to herding life-styles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mário Vicente
- Human Evolution, Department of Organismal Biology, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University, Norbyvägen 18C, SE-752 36, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Edita Priehodová
- Archaeogenetics Laboratory, Institute of Archaeology of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Issa Diallo
- Département de Linguistique et Langues Nationales, Institut des Sciences des Sociétés, CNRST, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
| | - Eliška Podgorná
- Archaeogenetics Laboratory, Institute of Archaeology of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Estella S Poloni
- Department of Genetics and Evolution, Anthropology Unit, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.,Institute of Genetics and Genomics in Geneva (IGE3), Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Viktor Černý
- Archaeogenetics Laboratory, Institute of Archaeology of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Prague, Czech Republic.
| | - Carina M Schlebusch
- Human Evolution, Department of Organismal Biology, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University, Norbyvägen 18C, SE-752 36, Uppsala, Sweden. .,Palaeo-Research Institute, University of Johannesburg, P.O. Box 524, Auckland Park, 2006, South Africa. .,SciLifeLab Uppsala, Uppsala, Sweden.
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14
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Kleisner K, Pokorný Š, Čížková M, Froment A, Černý V. Nomadic pastoralists and sedentary farmers of the Sahel/Savannah Belt of Africa in the light of geometric morphometrics based on facial portraits. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2019; 169:632-645. [DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.23845] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2018] [Revised: 04/09/2019] [Accepted: 04/15/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Karel Kleisner
- Department of Philosophy and History of Science, Faculty of ScienceCharles University Prague Czech Republic
| | - Šimon Pokorný
- Department of Philosophy and History of Science, Faculty of ScienceCharles University Prague Czech Republic
| | - Martina Čížková
- Department of Anthropology and Human Genetics, Faculty of ScienceCharles University Prague Czech Republic
- Archaeogenetics LaboratoryInstitute of Archaeology of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic Prague Czech Republic
| | - Alain Froment
- UMR 208‐PalocIRD‐MNHN, Musée de l'Homme Paris France
| | - Viktor Černý
- Department of Anthropology and Human Genetics, Faculty of ScienceCharles University Prague Czech Republic
- Archaeogenetics LaboratoryInstitute of Archaeology of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic Prague Czech Republic
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15
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Macaulay V, Soares P, Richards MB. Rectifying long-standing misconceptions about the ρ statistic for molecular dating. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0212311. [PMID: 30779770 PMCID: PMC6380571 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0212311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2018] [Accepted: 01/19/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
When divided by a given mutation rate, the ρ (rho) statistic provides a simple estimator of the age of a clade within a phylogenetic tree by averaging the number of mutations from each sample in the clade to its root. However, a long-standing critique of the use of ρ in genetic dating has been quite often cited. Here we show that the critique is unfounded. We demonstrate by a formal mathematical argument and illustrate with a simulation study that ρ estimates are unbiased and also that ρ and maximum likelihood estimates do not differ in any systematic fashion. We also demonstrate that the claim that the associated confidence intervals commonly estimate the uncertainty inappropriately is flawed since it relies on a means of calculating standard errors that is not used by any other researchers, whereas an established expression for the standard error is largely unproblematic. We conclude that ρ dating, alongside approaches such as maximum likelihood (ML) and Bayesian inference, remains a useful tool for genetic dating.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincent Macaulay
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Pedro Soares
- CBMA (Centre of Molecular and Environmental Biology), Department of Biology, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, Braga, Portugal
- Institute of Science and Innovation for Bio-Sustainability (IB-S), University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, Braga, Portugal
- Instituto de Patologia e Imunologia Molecular da Universidade do Porto (IPATIMUP), Porto, Portugal
- * E-mail:
| | - Martin B. Richards
- Department of Biological Sciences, School of Applied Sciences, University of Huddersfield, Queensgate, Huddersfield, United Kingdom
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16
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Shriner D, Rotimi CN. Genetic history of Chad. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2018; 167:804-812. [PMID: 30259956 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.23711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2018] [Revised: 08/17/2018] [Accepted: 08/29/2018] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The Sahel is a semi-arid zone stretching from the Atlantic Ocean in the west to the Red Sea in the east and from the Sahara in the north to the Sudanian Savanna in the south. Here, we investigated the genetic history of the spread of Northern African ancestry common among Berbers, the Y DNA haplogroup R1b-V88, and Chadic languages throughout the Sahel, with a focus on Chad. MATERIALS AND METHODS We integrated and analyzed genotype data from 751 individuals from Chad, Burkina Faso, Mali, South Sudan, and Sudan in the context of a global reference panel of 5,966 individuals. RESULTS We found that genetic diversity in Chad was broadly divided by a north-south axis. The core ancestry of Southern Chadians was Central African, most closely related to Pygmies. Southern Chadians then experienced four waves of gene flow over the last 3,000 years from West-Central Africans, Eastern Africans, West-Central Africans again, and then Arabians. In contrast, Northern Chadians did not share Central African ancestry and were not influenced by the first wave of West-Central Africans but were influenced by Northern African ancestry. DISCUSSION We found that Y DNA haplogroup R1b entered the Chadian gene pool during Baggarization. Baggara Arabs spoke Arabic, not Chadic, implying that people carrying R1b-V88 were not responsible for the spread of Chadic languages, which may have spread approximately 3,700 years ago. We found no evidence for migration of Near Eastern farmers or any ancient episodes involving Eurasian backflow.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Shriner
- Center for Research on Genomics and Global Health, National Human Genome Research Institute, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Charles N Rotimi
- Center for Research on Genomics and Global Health, National Human Genome Research Institute, Bethesda, Maryland
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17
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Larmuseau MHD, Ottoni C. Mediterranean Y-chromosome 2.0-why the Y in the Mediterranean is still relevant in the postgenomic era. Ann Hum Biol 2018; 45:20-33. [PMID: 29382278 DOI: 10.1080/03014460.2017.1402956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
CONTEXT Due to its unique paternal inheritance, the Y-chromosome has been a highly popular marker among population geneticists for over two decades. Recently, the advent of cost-effective genome-wide methods has unlocked information-rich autosomal genomic data, paving the way to the postgenomic era. This seems to have announced the decreasing popularity of investigating Y-chromosome variation, which provides only the paternal perspective of human ancestries and is strongly influenced by genetic drift and social behaviour. OBJECTIVE For this special issue on population genetics of the Mediterranean, the aim was to demonstrate that the Y-chromosome still provides important insights in the postgenomic era and in a time when ancient genomes are becoming exponentially available. METHODS A systematic literature search on Y-chromosomal studies in the Mediterranean was performed. RESULTS Several applications of Y-chromosomal analysis with future opportunities are formulated and illustrated with studies on Mediterranean populations. CONCLUSIONS There will be no reduced interest in Y-chromosomal studies going from reconstruction of male-specific demographic events to ancient DNA applications, surname history and population-wide estimations of extra-pair paternity rates. Moreover, more initiatives are required to collect population genetic data of Y-chromosomal markers for forensic research, and to include Y-chromosomal data in GWAS investigations and studies on male infertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maarten H D Larmuseau
- a KU Leuven, Forensic Biomedical Sciences , Department of Imaging & Pathology , Leuven , Belgium.,b KU Leuven, Laboratory of Socioecology and Social Evolution , Department of Biology , Leuven , Belgium
| | - Claudio Ottoni
- c Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES), Department of Biosciences , University of Oslo , Oslo , Norway
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18
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Černý V, Kulichová I, Poloni ES, Nunes JM, Pereira L, Mayor A, Sanchez-Mazas A. Genetic history of the African Sahelian populations. HLA 2018; 91:153-166. [DOI: 10.1111/tan.13189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2017] [Accepted: 12/03/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- V. Černý
- Department of Anthropology, Faculty of Natural Sciences; Comenius University, Ilkovicova 6; 842 15 Bratislava Slovakia
| | - I. Kulichová
- Department of Anthropology and Human Genetics, Faculty of Science; Charles University in Prague; Prague Czech Republic
| | - E. S. Poloni
- Laboratory of Anthropology, Genetics and Peopling History (AGP), Department of Genetics and Evolution, Anthropology Unit; University of Geneva; Geneva Switzerland
- Institute of Genetics and Genomics in Geneva (IGE3); Geneva Switzerland
| | - J. M. Nunes
- Laboratory of Anthropology, Genetics and Peopling History (AGP), Department of Genetics and Evolution, Anthropology Unit; University of Geneva; Geneva Switzerland
- Institute of Genetics and Genomics in Geneva (IGE3); Geneva Switzerland
| | - L. Pereira
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde; Universidade do Porto (i3S); Porto Portugal
- Instituto de Patologia e Imunologia Molecular da Universidade do Porto (IPATIMUP); Porto Portugal
| | - A. Mayor
- Laboratory of African Archaeology and Peopling History (APA), Department of Genetics and Evolution, Anthropology Unit; University of Geneva; Geneva Switzerland
| | - A. Sanchez-Mazas
- Laboratory of Anthropology, Genetics and Peopling History (AGP), Department of Genetics and Evolution, Anthropology Unit; University of Geneva; Geneva Switzerland
- Institute of Genetics and Genomics in Geneva (IGE3); Geneva Switzerland
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19
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Sanchez-Mazas A, Černý V, Di D, Buhler S, Podgorná E, Chevallier E, Brunet L, Weber S, Kervaire B, Testi M, Andreani M, Tiercy JM, Villard J, Nunes JM. The HLA-B landscape of Africa: Signatures of pathogen-driven selection and molecular identification of candidate alleles to malaria protection. Mol Ecol 2017; 26:6238-6252. [PMID: 28950417 DOI: 10.1111/mec.14366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2016] [Accepted: 09/11/2017] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genes play a key role in the immune response to infectious diseases, some of which are highly prevalent in specific environments, like malaria in sub-Saharan Africa. Former case-control studies showed that one particular HLA-B allele, B*53, was associated with malaria protection in Gambia, but this hypothesis was not tested so far within a population genetics framework. In this study, our objective was to assess whether pathogen-driven selection associated with malaria contributed to shape the HLA-B genetic landscape of Africa. To that aim, we first typed the HLA-A and -B loci in 484 individuals from 11 populations living in different environments across the Sahel, and we analysed these data together with those available for 29 other populations using several approaches including linear modelling on various genetic, geographic and environmental parameters. In addition to relevant signatures of populations' demography and migrations history in the genetic differentiation patterns of both HLA-A and -B loci, we found that the frequencies of three HLA alleles, B*53, B*78 and A*74, were significantly associated with Plasmodium falciparum malaria prevalence, suggesting their increase through pathogen-driven selection in malaria-endemic environments. The two HLA-B alleles were further identified, by high-throughput sequencing, as B*53:01:01 (in putative linkage disequilibrium with one HLA-C allele, C*04:01:01:01) and B*78:01 in all but one individuals tested, making them appropriate candidates to malaria protection. These results highlight the role of environmental factors in the evolution of the HLA polymorphism and open key perspectives for functional studies focusing on HLA peptide-binding properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alicia Sanchez-Mazas
- Department of Genetics and Evolution - Anthropology Unit, Laboratory of Anthropology, Genetics and Peopling History (AGP), University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.,Institute of Genetics and Genomics in Geneva (IGE3), Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Viktor Černý
- Department of Anthropology and Human Genetics, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Da Di
- Department of Genetics and Evolution - Anthropology Unit, Laboratory of Anthropology, Genetics and Peopling History (AGP), University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Stéphane Buhler
- Department of Genetics and Evolution - Anthropology Unit, Laboratory of Anthropology, Genetics and Peopling History (AGP), University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.,Department of Genetic and Laboratory Medicine, Transplantation Immunology Unit and National Reference Laboratory for Histocompatibility (UIT/LNRH), Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Eliška Podgorná
- Department of the Archaeology of Landscape and Archaeobiology, Archaeogenetics Laboratory, Institute of Archaeology of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Elodie Chevallier
- Department of Genetics and Evolution - Anthropology Unit, Laboratory of Anthropology, Genetics and Peopling History (AGP), University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Lydie Brunet
- Department of Genetics and Evolution - Anthropology Unit, Laboratory of Anthropology, Genetics and Peopling History (AGP), University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.,Department of Genetic and Laboratory Medicine, Transplantation Immunology Unit and National Reference Laboratory for Histocompatibility (UIT/LNRH), Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Stephan Weber
- Department of Genetics and Evolution - Anthropology Unit, Laboratory of Anthropology, Genetics and Peopling History (AGP), University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Barbara Kervaire
- Department of Genetic and Laboratory Medicine, Transplantation Immunology Unit and National Reference Laboratory for Histocompatibility (UIT/LNRH), Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Manuela Testi
- Laboratory of Immunogenetics and Transplant Biology, IME Foundation, Policlinic of the University of Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Marco Andreani
- Laboratory of Immunogenetics and Transplant Biology, IME Foundation, Policlinic of the University of Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Jean-Marie Tiercy
- Institute of Genetics and Genomics in Geneva (IGE3), Geneva, Switzerland.,Department of Genetic and Laboratory Medicine, Transplantation Immunology Unit and National Reference Laboratory for Histocompatibility (UIT/LNRH), Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Jean Villard
- Institute of Genetics and Genomics in Geneva (IGE3), Geneva, Switzerland.,Department of Genetic and Laboratory Medicine, Transplantation Immunology Unit and National Reference Laboratory for Histocompatibility (UIT/LNRH), Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - José Manuel Nunes
- Department of Genetics and Evolution - Anthropology Unit, Laboratory of Anthropology, Genetics and Peopling History (AGP), University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.,Institute of Genetics and Genomics in Geneva (IGE3), Geneva, Switzerland
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