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Roca-Rada X, Souilmi Y, Teixeira JC, Llamas B. Ancient DNA Studies in Pre-Columbian Mesoamerica. Genes (Basel) 2020; 11:E1346. [PMID: 33202852 PMCID: PMC7696771 DOI: 10.3390/genes11111346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2020] [Revised: 11/04/2020] [Accepted: 11/10/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Mesoamerica is a historically and culturally defined geographic area comprising current central and south Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, and border regions of Honduras, western Nicaragua, and northwestern Costa Rica. The permanent settling of Mesoamerica was accompanied by the development of agriculture and pottery manufacturing (2500 BCE-150 CE), which led to the rise of several cultures connected by commerce and farming. Hence, Mesoamericans probably carried an invaluable genetic diversity partly lost during the Spanish conquest and the subsequent colonial period. Mesoamerican ancient DNA (aDNA) research has mainly focused on the study of mitochondrial DNA in the Basin of Mexico and the Yucatán Peninsula and its nearby territories, particularly during the Postclassic period (900-1519 CE). Despite limitations associated with the poor preservation of samples in tropical areas, recent methodological improvements pave the way for a deeper analysis of Mesoamerica. Here, we review how aDNA research has helped discern population dynamics patterns in the pre-Columbian Mesoamerican context, how it supports archaeological, linguistic, and anthropological conclusions, and finally, how it offers new working hypotheses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xavier Roca-Rada
- Australian Centre for Ancient DNA, School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia; (Y.S.); (J.C.T.)
| | - Yassine Souilmi
- Australian Centre for Ancient DNA, School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia; (Y.S.); (J.C.T.)
- National Centre for Indigenous Genomics, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 0200, Australia
- Environment Institute, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia
| | - João C. Teixeira
- Australian Centre for Ancient DNA, School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia; (Y.S.); (J.C.T.)
- Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage (CABAH), School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia
| | - Bastien Llamas
- Australian Centre for Ancient DNA, School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia; (Y.S.); (J.C.T.)
- National Centre for Indigenous Genomics, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 0200, Australia
- Environment Institute, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia
- Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage (CABAH), School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia
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Moreno-Mayar JV, Vinner L, de Barros Damgaard P, de la Fuente C, Chan J, Spence JP, Allentoft ME, Vimala T, Racimo F, Pinotti T, Rasmussen S, Margaryan A, Iraeta Orbegozo M, Mylopotamitaki D, Wooller M, Bataille C, Becerra-Valdivia L, Chivall D, Comeskey D, Devièse T, Grayson DK, George L, Harry H, Alexandersen V, Primeau C, Erlandson J, Rodrigues-Carvalho C, Reis S, Bastos MQR, Cybulski J, Vullo C, Morello F, Vilar M, Wells S, Gregersen K, Hansen KL, Lynnerup N, Mirazón Lahr M, Kjær K, Strauss A, Alfonso-Durruty M, Salas A, Schroeder H, Higham T, Malhi RS, Rasic JT, Souza L, Santos FR, Malaspinas AS, Sikora M, Nielsen R, Song YS, Meltzer DJ, Willerslev E. Early human dispersals within the Americas. Science 2018; 362:science.aav2621. [DOI: 10.1126/science.aav2621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 102] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2018] [Accepted: 10/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Studies of the peopling of the Americas have focused on the timing and number of initial migrations. Less attention has been paid to the subsequent spread of people within the Americas. We sequenced 15 ancient human genomes spanning from Alaska to Patagonia; six are ≥10,000 years old (up to ~18× coverage). All are most closely related to Native Americans, including those from an Ancient Beringian individual and two morphologically distinct “Paleoamericans.” We found evidence of rapid dispersal and early diversification that included previously unknown groups as people moved south. This resulted in multiple independent, geographically uneven migrations, including one that provides clues of a Late Pleistocene Australasian genetic signal, as well as a later Mesoamerican-related expansion. These led to complex and dynamic population histories from North to South America.
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