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.
Collapse