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Ríos L, Kivell TL, Lalueza-Fox C, Estalrrich A, García-Tabernero A, Huguet R, Quintino Y, de la Rasilla M, Rosas A. Skeletal Anomalies in The Neandertal Family of El Sidrón (Spain) Support A Role of Inbreeding in Neandertal Extinction. Sci Rep 2019; 9:1697. [PMID: 30737446 PMCID: PMC6368597 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-38571-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2018] [Accepted: 12/31/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Neandertals disappeared from the fossil record around 40,000 bp, after a demographic history of small and isolated groups with high but variable levels of inbreeding, and episodes of interbreeding with other Paleolithic hominins. It is reasonable to expect that high levels of endogamy could be expressed in the skeleton of at least some Neandertal groups. Genetic studies indicate that the 13 individuals from the site of El Sidrón, Spain, dated around 49,000 bp, constituted a closely related kin group, making these Neandertals an appropriate case study for the observation of skeletal signs of inbreeding. We present the complete study of the 1674 identified skeletal specimens from El Sidrón. Altogether, 17 congenital anomalies were observed (narrowing of the internal nasal fossa, retained deciduous canine, clefts of the first cervical vertebra, unilateral hypoplasia of the second cervical vertebra, clefting of the twelfth thoracic vertebra, diminutive thoracic or lumbar rib, os centrale carpi and bipartite scaphoid, tripartite patella, left foot anomaly and cuboid-navicular coalition), with at least four individuals presenting congenital conditions (clefts of the first cervical vertebra). At 49,000 years ago, the Neandertals from El Sidrón, with genetic and skeletal evidence of inbreeding, could be representative of the beginning of the demographic collapse of this hominin phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Ríos
- Department of Physical Anthropology, Aranzadi Zientzia Elkartea, Zorroagagaina 11, 20014, Donostia, Gipuzkoa, Basque Country, Spain.
| | - T L Kivell
- Skeletal Biology Research Centre, School of Anthropology and Conservation, University of Kent, Marlowe Building, Canterbury, CT2 7NR, UK.,Department of Human Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, Leipzig, 04103, Germany
| | - C Lalueza-Fox
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology (CSIC-Universitat Pompeu Fabra), Carrer Dr. Aiguader 88, 08003, Barcelona, Spain
| | - A Estalrrich
- Instituto Internacional de Investigaciones Prehistóricas de Cantabria IIIPC (Universidad de Cantabria, Santander, Gobierno de Cantabria), Avda. de los Castros 52, 39005, Santander, Cantabria, Spain
| | - A García-Tabernero
- Paleoanthropology Group, Department of Paleobiology. Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (MNCN-CSIC), José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, 28006, Madrid, Spain
| | - R Huguet
- IPHES, Institut Catala de Paleoecologia Humana i Evolució Social, Campus Sescelades URV (Edifici W3), 43007, Tarragona, Spain.,Area de Prehistoria, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Avda. Catalunya 35, 43002, Tarragona, Spain.,Unidad asociada al CSIC, Departamento de Paleobiología, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, Calle José Gutierrez Abascal 2, 28006, Madrid, Spain
| | - Y Quintino
- Laboratorio de Evolución Humana, Dpto. de Ciencias Históricas y Geografía, Universidad de Burgos, Edificio I+D+i, Plaza Misael Bañuelos s/n, 09001, Burgos, Spain
| | - M de la Rasilla
- Área de Prehistoria Departamento de Historia, Universidad de Oviedo, Calle Teniente Alfonso Martínez s/n, 33011, Oviedo, Spain
| | - A Rosas
- Paleoanthropology Group, Department of Paleobiology. Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (MNCN-CSIC), José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, 28006, Madrid, Spain.
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Ferrando A, Manunza A, Jordana J, Capote J, Pons A, Pais J, Delgado T, Atoche P, Cabrera B, Martínez A, Landi V, Delgado JV, Argüello A, Vidal O, Lalueza-Fox C, Ramírez O, Amills M. A mitochondrial analysis reveals distinct founder effect signatures in Canarian and Balearic goats. Anim Genet 2015; 46:452-6. [DOI: 10.1111/age.12302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/25/2015] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- A. Ferrando
- Departament de Ciència Animal i dels Aliments; Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona; Bellaterra 08193 Spain
| | - A. Manunza
- Department of Animal Genetics; Center for Research in Agricultural Genomics (CSIC-IRTA-UAB-UB); Campus Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona; Bellaterra 08193 Spain
| | - J. Jordana
- Departament de Ciència Animal i dels Aliments; Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona; Bellaterra 08193 Spain
| | - J. Capote
- Instituto Canario de Investigaciones Agrarias; La Laguna 38108 Tenerife Spain
| | - A. Pons
- Àrea Tècnica Agrària; Servei de Millora Agrària i Pesquera (SEMILLA); Son Ferriol 07198 Spain
| | - J. Pais
- Museo Arqueológico Benahorita; Camino de Las Adelfas; 38760 Los Llanos de Aridane La Palma Spain
| | - T. Delgado
- Museo Canario; Doctor Verneau; 2, 35001 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria Spain
| | - P. Atoche
- Departamento de Ciencias Históricas; Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria; 35001 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
| | - B. Cabrera
- Department of Animal Genetics; Center for Research in Agricultural Genomics (CSIC-IRTA-UAB-UB); Campus Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona; Bellaterra 08193 Spain
| | - A. Martínez
- Departamento de Genética; Universidad de Córdoba; Córdoba 14071 Spain
| | - V. Landi
- Departamento de Genética; Universidad de Córdoba; Córdoba 14071 Spain
| | - J. V. Delgado
- Departamento de Genética; Universidad de Córdoba; Córdoba 14071 Spain
| | - A. Argüello
- Department of Animal Science; Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria; Arucas 35413 Spain
| | - O. Vidal
- Departament de Biologia; Universitat de Girona; Girona 17071 Spain
| | - C. Lalueza-Fox
- Institut de Biologia Evolutiva (CSIC - Universitat Pompeu Fabra); Barcelona 08003 Spain
| | - O. Ramírez
- Institut de Biologia Evolutiva (CSIC - Universitat Pompeu Fabra); Barcelona 08003 Spain
| | - M. Amills
- Departament de Ciència Animal i dels Aliments; Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona; Bellaterra 08193 Spain
- Department of Animal Genetics; Center for Research in Agricultural Genomics (CSIC-IRTA-UAB-UB); Campus Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona; Bellaterra 08193 Spain
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Ramírez O, Burgos-Paz W, Casas E, Ballester M, Bianco E, Olalde I, Santpere G, Novella V, Gut M, Lalueza-Fox C, Saña M, Pérez-Enciso M. Genome data from a sixteenth century pig illuminate modern breed relationships. Heredity (Edinb) 2015; 114:175-84. [PMID: 25204303 PMCID: PMC4815627 DOI: 10.1038/hdy.2014.81] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2014] [Revised: 07/09/2014] [Accepted: 08/06/2014] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Ancient DNA (aDNA) provides direct evidence of historical events that have modeled the genome of modern individuals. In livestock, resolving the differences between the effects of initial domestication and of subsequent modern breeding is not straight forward without aDNA data. Here, we have obtained shotgun genome sequence data from a sixteenth century pig from Northeastern Spain (Montsoriu castle), the ancient pig was obtained from an extremely well-preserved and diverse assemblage. In addition, we provide the sequence of three new modern genomes from an Iberian pig, Spanish wild boar and a Guatemalan Creole pig. Comparison with both mitochondrial and autosomal genome data shows that the ancient pig is closely related to extant Iberian pigs and to European wild boar. Although the ancient sample was clearly domestic, admixture with wild boar also occurred, according to the D-statistics. The close relationship between Iberian, European wild boar and the ancient pig confirms that Asian introgression in modern Iberian pigs has not existed or has been negligible. In contrast, the Guatemalan Creole pig clusters apart from the Iberian pig genome, likely due to introgression from international breeds.
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Affiliation(s)
- O Ramírez
- Institut de Biologia Evolutiva (CSIC-Universitat Pompeu Fabra), PRBB, Barcelona, Spain
| | - W Burgos-Paz
- Centre for Research in Agricultural Genomics (CRAG), CSIC-IRTA-UAB-UB Consortium, Bellaterra, Spain
- Departament de Ciència Animal i dels Aliments, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - E Casas
- Centre for Research in Agricultural Genomics (CRAG), CSIC-IRTA-UAB-UB Consortium, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - M Ballester
- Centre for Research in Agricultural Genomics (CRAG), CSIC-IRTA-UAB-UB Consortium, Bellaterra, Spain
- Departament de Ciència Animal i dels Aliments, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - E Bianco
- Centre for Research in Agricultural Genomics (CRAG), CSIC-IRTA-UAB-UB Consortium, Bellaterra, Spain
- Departament de Ciència Animal i dels Aliments, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - I Olalde
- Institut de Biologia Evolutiva (CSIC-Universitat Pompeu Fabra), PRBB, Barcelona, Spain
| | - G Santpere
- Institut de Biologia Evolutiva (CSIC-Universitat Pompeu Fabra), PRBB, Barcelona, Spain
| | - V Novella
- Departament de Prehistòria, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - M Gut
- Centro Nacional de Análisis Genómico (CNAG), PCB, Barcelona, Spain
| | - C Lalueza-Fox
- Institut de Biologia Evolutiva (CSIC-Universitat Pompeu Fabra), PRBB, Barcelona, Spain
| | - M Saña
- Departament de Prehistòria, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - M Pérez-Enciso
- Centre for Research in Agricultural Genomics (CRAG), CSIC-IRTA-UAB-UB Consortium, Bellaterra, Spain
- Departament de Ciència Animal i dels Aliments, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
- Institut Català de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), Carrer de Lluís Companys 23, Barcelona, Spain
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Dean MC, Rosas A, Estalrrich A, García-Tabernero A, Huguet R, Lalueza-Fox C, Bastir M, de la Rasilla M. Longstanding dental pathology in Neandertals from El Sidrón (Asturias, Spain) with a probable familial basis. J Hum Evol 2013; 64:678-86. [PMID: 23615378 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2013.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2013] [Revised: 03/15/2013] [Accepted: 03/18/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Two Neandertal specimens from El Sidrón, northern Spain, show evidence of retained left mandibular deciduous canines. These individuals share the same mitochondrial (mtDNA) haplotype, indicating they are maternally related and suggesting a potential heritable basis for these dental anomalies. Radiographs and medical CT scans provide evidence of further, more extensive dental pathology in one of these specimens. An anomalous deciduous canine crown morphology that developed before birth subsequently suffered a fracture of the crown exposing the pulp sometime after eruption into functional occlusion. This led to death of the tooth, periapical granuloma formation and arrested deciduous canine root growth at an estimated age of 2.5 years. At some point the underlying permanent canine tooth became horizontally displaced and came to lie low in the trabecular bone of the mandibular corpus. A dentigerous cyst then developed around the crown. Anterior growth displacement of the mandible continued around the stationary permanent canine, leaving it posteriorly positioned in the mandibular corpus by the end of the growth period beneath the third permanent molar roots, which, in turn, suggests a largely horizontal growth vector. Subsequent longstanding repeated infections of the expanding cyst cavity are evidenced by bouts of bone deposition and resorption of the boundary walls of the cyst cavity. This resulted in the establishment of two permanent bony drainage sinuses, one through the buccal plate of the alveolar bone anteriorly, immediately beneath the infected deciduous canine root, and the other through the buccal plate anterior to the mesial root of the first permanent molar. It is probable that this complicated temporal sequence of dental pathologies had an initial heritable trigger that progressed in an unusually complex way in one of these individuals. During life, this individual may have been largely unaware of this ongoing pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- M C Dean
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK.
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Sampietro M, Lao O, Caramelli D, Lari M, Pou R, Martí M, Bertranpetit J, Lalueza-Fox C. Palaeogenetic evidence supports a dual model of Neolithic spreading into Europe. Proc Biol Sci 2007; 274:2161-7. [PMID: 17609193 PMCID: PMC2706191 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2007.0465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The peopling of Europe is a complex process. One of the most dramatic demographic events, the Neolithic agricultural revolution, took place in the Near East roughly 10000 years ago and then spread through the European continent. Nevertheless, the nature of this process (either cultural or demographic) is still a matter of debate among scientists. We have retrieved HVRI mitochondrial DNA sequences from 11 Neolithic remains from Granollers (Catalonia, northeast Spain) dated to 5500 years BP. We followed the proposed authenticity criteria, and we were also able, for the first time, to track down the pre-laboratory-derived contaminant sequences and consequently eliminate them from the generated cloning dataset. Phylogeographic analysis shows that the haplogroup composition of the Neolithic population is very similar to that found in modern populations from the Iberian Peninsula, suggesting a long-time genetic continuity, at least since Neolithic times. This result contrasts with that recently found in a Neolithic population from Central Europe and, therefore, raises new questions on the heterogeneity of the Neolithic dispersals into Europe. We propose here a dual model of Neolithic spread: acculturation in Central Europe and demic diffusion in southern Europe.
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Affiliation(s)
- M.L Sampietro
- Departament de Ciències de la Salut i de la Vida, Universitat Pompeu FabraDr Aiguader 80, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - O Lao
- Department of Forensic Molecular Biology, Erasmus Medical Center RotterdamRotterdam 3000, The Netherlands
| | - D Caramelli
- Laboratory of Anthropology, Department of Animal Biology and Genetics, University of Florencevia del Proconsolo 12, 50122 Florence, Italy
| | - M Lari
- Laboratory of Anthropology, Department of Animal Biology and Genetics, University of Florencevia del Proconsolo 12, 50122 Florence, Italy
| | - R Pou
- Museu d'Arqueologia de Granollers,Anselm Clave 40, 084400 Granollers, Spain
| | - M Martí
- Museu d'Arqueologia de Granollers,Anselm Clave 40, 084400 Granollers, Spain
| | - J Bertranpetit
- Departament de Ciències de la Salut i de la Vida, Universitat Pompeu FabraDr Aiguader 80, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - C Lalueza-Fox
- Unitat d'Antropologia, Departament de Biologia Animal, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de BarcelonaAvinguda Diagonal 645, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
- Author for correspondence ()
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Rosas A, Bastir M, Martínez-maza C, García-Tabernero A, Lalueza-Fox C. Inquiries into Neanderthal craniofacial development and evolution: “accretion” versus “organismic” models. Neanderthals Revisited: New Approaches and Perspectives 2006. [DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4020-5121-0_4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
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Sampietro ML, Caramelli D, Lao O, Calafell F, Comas D, Lari M, Agustí B, Bertranpetit J, Lalueza-Fox C. The genetics of the pre-Roman Iberian Peninsula: a mtDNA study of ancient Iberians. Ann Hum Genet 2005; 69:535-48. [PMID: 16138912 DOI: 10.1111/j.1529-8817.2005.00194.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
The Iberians developed a surprisingly sophisticated culture in the Mediterranean coast of the Iberian Peninsula from the 6th century BC until their conquest by the Romans in the 2nd century BC. They spoke and wrote a non-Indo-European language that still cannot be understood; their origins and relationships with other non-Indo-European peoples, like the Etruscans, are unclear, since their funerary practices were based on the cremation of bodies, and therefore anthropology has been unable to approach the study of this people. We have retrieved mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) from a few of the scarce skeletal remains that have been preserved, some of them belonging to ritualistically executed individuals. The most stringent authentication criteria proposed for ancient DNA, such as independent replication, amino-acid analysis, quantitation of template molecules, multiple extractions and cloning of PCR products, have been followed to obtain reliable sequences from the mtDNA hypervariable region 1 (HVR1), as well as some haplogroup diagnostic SNPs. Phylogeographic analyses show that the haplogroup composition of the ancient Iberians was very similar to that found in modern Iberian Peninsula populations, suggesting a long-term genetic continuity since pre-Roman times. Nonetheless, there is less genetic diversity in the ancient Iberians than is found among modern populations, a fact that could reflect the small population size at the origin of the population sampled, and the heterogenic tribal structure of the Iberian society. Moreover, the Iberians were not especially closely related to the Etruscans, which points to considerable genetic heterogeneity in Pre-Roman Western Europe.
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Affiliation(s)
- M L Sampietro
- Unitat de Biologia Evolutiva, Department Ciències de la Salut i de la Vida, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
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Lalueza-Fox C, Sampietro ML, Gilbert MTP, Castri L, Facchini F, Pettener D, Bertranpetit J. Unravelling migrations in the steppe: mitochondrial DNA sequences from ancient central Asians. Proc Biol Sci 2004; 271:941-7. [PMID: 15255049 PMCID: PMC1691686 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2004.2698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
This study helps to clarify the debate on the Western and Eastern genetic influences in Central Asia. Thirty-six skeletal remains from Kazakhstan (Central Asia), excavated from different sites dating between the fifteenth century BC to the fifth century AD, have been analysed for the hypervariable control region (HVR-I) and haplogroup diagnostic single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the mitochondrial DNA genome. Standard authentication criteria for ancient DNA studies, including multiple extractions, cloning of PCR products and independent replication, have been followed. The distribution of east and west Eurasian lineages through time in the region is concordant with the available archaeological information: prior to the thirteenth-seventh century BC, all Kazakh samples belong to European lineages; while later an arrival of east Eurasian sequences that coexisted with the previous west Eurasian genetic substratum can be detected. The presence of an ancient genetic substratum of European origin in West Asia may be related to the discovery of ancient mummies with European features in Xinjiang and to the existence of an extinct Indo-European language, Tocharian. This study demonstrates the usefulness of the ancient DNA in unravelling complex patterns of past human migrations so as to help decipher the origin of present-day admixed populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Lalueza-Fox
- Unitat d'Antropologia, Departimenti Biologia Animal, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Avinguda Diagonal 645, 08028 Barcelona, Spain.
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Lalueza-Fox C, Gilbert MTP, Martínez-Fuentes AJ, Calafell F, Bertranpetit J. Mitochondrial DNA from pre-Columbian Ciboneys from Cuba and the prehistoric colonization of the Caribbean. Am J Phys Anthropol 2003; 121:97-108. [PMID: 12740952 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.10236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
To assess the genetic affinities of extinct Ciboneys (also called Guanajuatabeys) from Cuba, 47 pre-Columbian skeletal samples belonging to this group were analyzed using ancient DNA techniques. At the time of European contact, the center and east of Cuba were occupied by agriculturalist Taino groups, while the west was mainly inhabited by Ciboneys, hunter-gatherers who have traditionally been considered a relic population descending from the initial colonization of the Caribbean. The mtDNA hypervariable region I (HVR-I) and haplogroup-specific markers were amplified and sequenced in 15 specimens using overlapping fragments; amplification from second extractions from the same sample, independent replication in different laboratories, and cloning of some PCR products support the authenticity of the sequences. Three of the five major mtDNA Amerindian lineages (A, C, and D) are present in the sample analyzed, in frequencies of 0.07, 0.60, and 0.33, respectively. Different phylogenetic analyses seem to suggest that the Caribbean most likely was populated from South America, although the data are still inconclusive, and Central American influences cannot be discarded. Our hypothesis is that the colonization of the Caribbean mainly took place in successive migration movements that emanated from the same area in South America, around the Lower Orinoco Valley: the first wave consisted of hunter-gatherer groups (ancestors of the Ciboneys), a subsequent wave of agriculturalists (ancestors of the Tainos), and a latter one of nomadic Carib warriors. However, further genetic studies are needed to confirm this scenario.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Lalueza-Fox
- Secció d' Antropologia, Departament of Biologia Animal, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Spain
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Lalueza-Fox C, Calderón FL, Calafell F, Morera B, Bertranpetit J. MtDNA from extinct Tainos and the peopling of the Caribbean. Ann Hum Genet 2001; 65:137-51. [PMID: 11427174 DOI: 10.1017/s0003480001008533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2000] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Tainos and Caribs were the inhabitants of the Caribbean when Columbus reached the Americas; both human groups became extinct soon after contact, decimated by the Spaniards and the diseases they brought. Samples belonging to pre-Columbian Taino Indians from the La Caleta site (Dominican Republic) have been analyzed, in order to ascertain the genetic affinities of these groups in relation to present-day Amerinds, and to reconstruct the genetic and demographic events that took place during the peopling of the Caribbean. Twenty-seven bone samples were extracted and analyzed for mtDNA variation. The four major Amerindian mtDNA lineages were screened through amplification of the specific marker regions and restriction enzymatic digestion, when needed. The HVRI of the control region was amplified with four sets of overlapping primers and sequenced in 19 of the samples. Both restriction enzyme and sequencing results suggest that only two (C and D) of the major mtDNA lineages were present in the sample: 18 individuals (75%) belonged to the C haplogroup, and 6 (25%) to the D haplogroup. Sequences display specific substitutions that are known to correlate with each haplogroup, a fact that helped to reject the possibility of European DNA contamination. A low rate of Taq misincorporations due to template damage was estimated from the cloning and sequencing of different PCR products of one of the samples. High frequencies of C and D haplogroups are more common in South American populations, a fact that points to that sub-continent as the homeland of the Taino ancestors, as previously suggested by linguistic and archaeological evidence. Sequence and haplogroup data show that the Tainos had a substantially reduced mtDNA diversity, which is indicative of an important founder effect during the colonization of the Caribbean Islands, assumed to have been a linear migratory movement from mainland South America following the chain configuration of the Antilles.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Lalueza-Fox
- Secció Antropologia, Dept. Biologia Animal, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Spain
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Cooper A, Lalueza-Fox C, Anderson S, Rambaut A, Austin J, Ward R. Complete mitochondrial genome sequences of two extinct moas clarify ratite evolution. Nature 2001; 409:704-7. [PMID: 11217857 DOI: 10.1038/35055536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 303] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
The origin of the ratites, large flightless birds from the Southern Hemisphere, along with their flighted sister taxa, the South American tinamous, is central to understanding the role of plate tectonics in the distributions of modern birds and mammals. Defining the dates of ratite divergences is also critical for determining the age of modern avian orders. To resolve the ratite phylogeny and provide biogeographical data to examine these issues, we have here determined the first complete mitochondrial genome sequences of any extinct taxa--two New Zealand moa genera--along with a 1,000-base-pair sequence from an extinct Madagascan elephant-bird. For comparative data, we also generated 12 kilobases of contiguous sequence from the kiwi, cassowary, emu and two tinamou genera. This large dataset allows statistically precise estimates of molecular divergence dates and these support a Late Cretaceous vicariant speciation of ratite taxa, followed by the subsequent dispersal of the kiwi to New Zealand. This first molecular view of the break-up of Gondwana provides a new temporal framework for speciation events within other Gondwanan biota and can be used to evaluate competing biogeographical hypotheses.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Cooper
- Department of Biological Anthropology and Henry Wellcome Ancient Biomolecules Centre, University of Oxford, UK.
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Abstract
DNA was extracted from teeth and bones of Myotragus balearicus, a bovid that evolved in isolation on the Balearic Islands (Western Mediterranean) from the end of the Miocene, becoming extinct 4,000 years BP, after the arrival of humans in the islands. The numerous morphological apomorphies of Myotragus, most strikingly its dwarfism, frontal eyes, and ever-growing incisors, obscure its phylogenetic relationships with extant bovids. Therefore, the recovery of genetic information from Myotragus is of significant interest to help clarify the taxonomic position of this species. In this study we amplified and sequenced a 95 bp (base pair) fragment of the mtDNA cytochrome b gene from 6,000-year-old specimens of Myotragus. Several experimental controls, such as amino acid analysis, independent reproduction in two different laboratories, and cloning of the PCR product, support the authenticity of the ancient DNA sequence recovered. Phylogenetic comparison with orthologous sequences from supposedly related extant genera (serow, goral, mountain goat, chamois, takin, sheep, goat, Himalayan tahr, arctic musk ox, barbary sheep, blue sheep, and saiga) from the Caprinae subfamily suggests that Myotragus is related to some of these species. However, the real phylogenetic position of Myotragus is difficult to assess, due to the lack of resolution of the present molecular study, which can be partially attributed to the short length of the genetic fragment recovered.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Lalueza-Fox
- Laboratori d'Antropologia, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
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Abstract
The Aónikenk were a hunter-gatherer group that inhabited the southern extreme of Patagonia at European Contact and became extinct at the end of the 19th century. The myth of Patagonian gigantism developed around these aborigines from early Spanish explorer accounts. In this study, the postcranial remains belonging to the Aónikenk (Patagonia) and the Selk'nam (Tierra del Fuego) preserved at the Instituto de la Patagonia (UMAG, Chile) have been measured, using standard metrics. Different stature estimations for these groups have been generated, by using the different regression formulae available. Aónikenk male stature appears to be between 174 and 178 cm on average, whereas the Selk'nam are considerably shorter. In addition, stature estimations from Spanish populations dating to the contact period have been compiled for comparison. While it can be concluded that the Aónikenk probably presented the highest stature values of all Meso- and South American populations, it is suggested that the perception of their gigantism could be partially attributed to the real difference in stature (probably more than 10 cm) between these aborigines and contemporaneous Europeans.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Hernández
- Department of Animal Biology, University of Barcelona, Spain.
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