Evolution: A Palaeolithic migration back to Africa
Scientific Reports
2016년5월19일
The mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) of a 35,000-year-old Homo sapiens found in the Pestera Muierii cave of Romania is presented in a paper in Scientific Reports. The study suggests that this human (PM1) belongs to a genetic population who share a common ancestor (haplogroup) called U6 basal*, which has not previously been identified in any ancient or present-day humans. The findings support the hypothesis of an Early Upper Palaeolithic (starting approximately 45,000 years ago) migration back to North Africa from Western Asia.
Analyses of present-day human mitogenomes suggest that, in conjunction with the Eurasian expansion approximately 45,000 - 40,000 years ago, some populations initiated a migration back to North Africa. However, the scarcity of remains in North Africa has prevented researchers from obtaining direct evidence of such a migratory phenomenon during the Palaeolithic period.
By extracting DNA from two of the teeth of PM1, Concepcion de-la-Rua and colleagues analysed and sequenced the mitogenome. The authors propose that the newly identified U6 basal* haplogroup has a Eurasian origin, from which haplotypes predominantly found in present-day North-Western African populations are derived. The authors suggest that the PM1 lineage may have been an offshoot to South-East Europe during the Early Upper Palaeolithic migration from Western Asia to Africa.
doi: 10.1038/srep25501
리서치 하이라이트
-
6월29일
Environment: 1.81 billion people at risk of 1-in-100 year floodNature Communications
-
6월28일
Astronomy: Hydrogen- and helium-rich exoplanets may provide habitable conditions for billions of yearsNature Astronomy
-
6월28일
Climate change: Decline in tropical cyclones during the twentieth centuryNature Climate Change
-
6월24일
Environment: Assessing the impacts of US school lunches on climate, land and waterCommunications Earth & Environment
-
6월24일
Palaeontology: It sucked to be the prey of ancient cephalopodsScientific Reports
-
6월23일
Scientific community: Women credited less than men in scientific paper authorshipNature