Moscow University
Anthropology
Bulletin

DEEP-ROOTING AFRICAN INFLUENCE IN SOUTHWESTERN EUROPE: A VIEW FROM MTDNA IN THE IBERIAN PENINSULA

Hernández Candela L. (1), Pereira Luisa (2), Dugoujon Jean-Michel (3), Soares Pedro (2), Reales Guillermo (1), Novelletto Andrea (4), Rodríguez Juan (5), Calderón Rosario (1)

1) Departamento de Zoología y Antropología Física, Facultad de Biología, Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Spain; 2) Instituto de Patologia e Imunologia Molecular da Universidade do Porto (IPATIMUP), Porto, Portugal; 3) Laboratoire d’Anthropologie, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Université Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France; 4) Dipartimento di Biologia, Università Tor Vergata Rome, Italy; 5) Servicio de Hematología, Hospital Juan Ramón Jiménez, Huelva, Spain

Calderón Rosario, e-mail: rcalfer@bio.ucm.es.

Abstract

In the past few decades, the gene flow between North Africa and Europe has been a topic of interest for population genetic studies. Key unanswered questions include the timing of migration episodes and their real impact on the European gene pool, the role of physical barriers – as the Mediterranean Sea – and the most plausible dispersal routes for transcontinental crossings. In order to address these topics, different genetic markers have been used. Mitochondrial DNA has shown substantial traces of bidirectional genetic interchange between Africa and Europe, and in a more detailed view between the North of Africa and Iberia. We approached this by analyzing the maternal heritage of the closest Iberian population to North Africa: Andalusia. mtDNA profiles were characterized in two southern Iberian subpopulations, represented by 158 samples from Huelva province and 121 individuals from Granada province. Our results reveal distinctive local histories among Andalusians regarding their maternal legacy, suggesting a role of the westernmost Iberian territory as a noticeable recipient of multiple and diverse human migrations, including relevant African contribution. The African component in western Andalusia was characterized by a high prevalence and diversity of U6 lineage. This finding leads us to further investigate U6 in southern Iberia and northern Africa, by sequencing mitogenomes of 16 U6 Andalusian samples. In order to acquire insight into the other side of the Strait of Gibraltar, we also obtained complete mtDNA sequences from Moroccan Berbers. We then compared these profiles with around 250 U6-genomes reported from literature. The resulting phylogenetic and phylogeographic analyses show that U6 lineage has deep temporal roots in Iberia, revealing old transcontinental human crossings from North Africa to Iberia – and therefore, ancient African traces in Europe.

Keywords

gene flow, migration, haplogroup U6, Mediterranean space, phylogeography, phylogeny

Цит.: Hernández Candela L., Pereira Luisa, Dugoujon Jean-Michel, Soares Pedro, Reales Guillermo, Novelletto Andrea, Rodríguez Juan, Calderón Rosario DEEP-ROOTING AFRICAN INFLUENCE IN SOUTHWESTERN EUROPE: A VIEW FROM MTDNA IN THE IBERIAN PENINSULA // Moscow University Anthropology Bulletin (Vestnik Moskovskogo Universiteta. Seria XXIII. Antropologia), 2014; 3/2014; с. 119-119

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