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Mitochondrial genome analysis revises view of the initial peopling of North America
EurekAlert ^ | 28-Jun-2010 | NA

Posted on 07/09/2010 7:49:08 PM PDT by neverdem

Contact: Peggy Calicchia
calicchi@cshl.edu
516-422-4012
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory

Mitochondrial genome analysis revises view of the initial peopling of North America June 29, 2010 – The initial peopling of North America from Asia occurred approximately 15,000-18,000 years ago, however estimations of the genetic diversity of the first settlers have remained inaccurate. In a report published online today in Genome Research (www.genome.org), researchers have found that the diversity of the first Americans has been significantly underestimated, underscoring the importance of comprehensive sampling for accurate analysis of human migrations.

Substantial evidence suggests that humans first crossed into North America from Asia over a land bridge called Beringia, connecting eastern Siberia and Alaska. Genetic studies have shed light on the initial lineages that entered North America, distinguishing the earliest Native American groups from those that arrived later. However, a clear picture of the number of initial migratory events and routes has been elusive due to incomplete analysis.

In this work, an international group of researchers coordinated by Antonio Torroni of the University of Pavia in Italy performed a detailed mitochondrial genome analysis of a poorly characterized lineage known as C1d. Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is passed down through the maternal lineage, and mtDNA sequence markers are extremely useful tools for mapping ancestry. Similar to other haplogroups that were among the first to arrive in North America, C1d is distributed throughout the continent, suggesting that it may have been also present in the initial founding populations. However, C1d has not been well represented in previous genetic analyses, and the estimated age of approximately 7,000 years, much younger than the other founding haplogroups, was likely inaccurate.

To resolve these inconsistent lines of evidence, the group sequenced and analyzed 63 C1d mtDNA genomes from throughout the Americas. This high-resolution study not only confirmed that C1d was one of the founding lineages in North America 15,000 to 18,000 years ago, but revealed another critical insight. "These first female American founders carried not one but two different C1d genomes," said Ugo Perego of the Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation and primary author of the study, "thus further increasing the number of recognized maternal lineages from Beringia."

These findings raise the number of founding maternal lineages in North America to fifteen. Furthermore, this work emphasizes the critical need for comprehensive analysis of relevant populations to gather a complete picture of migratory events.

Alessandro Achilli of the University of Perugia, a coauthor of the report, suggests that the number of distinct mitochondrial genomes that passed from Asian into North America is probably much higher. "These yet undiscovered maternal lineages will be identified within the next three to four years," Achilli noted, "when the methodological approach that we used in our study will be systematically applied."

###

Scientists from the Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation (Salt Lake City, UT), the University of Pavia (Pavia, Italy), the University of Perugia (Perugia, Italy), the University of Santiago de Compostela, (Santiago de Compostela, Spain), Innsbruck Medical University (Innsbruck, Austria), and the University of Beunos Aries (Buenos Aires, Argentina).

This work was supported by the Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation, Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación, Fundación de Investigación Médica Mutua Madrileña, the FWF Austrian Science Fund, Progetti Ricerca Interesse Nazionale (Italian Ministry of the University), and Fondazione Alma Mater Ticinensis.

Media contacts:

Ugo Perego is available for more information by contacting Jacob Moon at the Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation Public Relations Office (+1-801-490-1017; jacob@methodcommunications.com). Antonio Torroni, PhD is available for more information by contacting Grazia Bruttocao at the University of Pavia Press Office (+39-0382-984531, grazia.bruttocao@unipv.it). Alessandro Achilli, PhD is available for more information by contacting Laura Marozzi at the University of Perugia Press Office (+39-075-585-2202, lmarozzi@unipg.it).

Interested reporters may obtain copies of the manuscript from Peggy Calicchia, Editorial Secretary, Genome Research (calicchi@cshl.edu; +1-516-422-4012).

About the article:

The manuscript will be published online ahead of print on June 29, 2010. Its full citation is as follows: Perego UA, Angerhofer N, Pala M, Olivieri A, Lancioni H, Hooshiar Kashani B, Carossa V, Ekins JE, Gómez-Carballa A, Huber G, Zimmermann B, Corach D, Babudri N, Panara F, Myres NM, Parson W, Semino O, Salas A, Woodward SR, Achilli A, Torroni A. The initial peopling of the Americas: A growing number of founding mitochondrial genomes from Beringia. Genome Res doi:10.1101/gr.109231.110.

About Genome Research:

Launched in 1995, Genome Research (www.genome.org) is an international, continuously published, peer-reviewed journal that focuses on research that provides novel insights into the genome biology of all organisms, including advances in genomic medicine. Among the topics considered by the journal are genome structure and function, comparative genomics, molecular evolution, genome-scale quantitative and population genetics, proteomics, epigenomics, and systems biology. The journal also features exciting gene discoveries and reports of cutting-edge computational biology and high-throughput methodologies.

About Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press:

Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory is a private, nonprofit institution in New York that conducts research in cancer and other life sciences and has a variety of educational programs. Its Press, originating in 1933, is the largest of the Laboratory's five education divisions and is a publisher of books, journals, and electronic media for scientists, students, and the general public.

Genome Research issues press releases to highlight significant research studies that are published in the journal.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events; Testing
KEYWORDS: antoniotorroni; emptydna; genetics; genomics; gigo; godsgravesglyphs; helixmakemineadouble; mitochondrialdna; mtdna
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To: Tennessee Nana

Same deal here. Blue eyes me, my one offspring, my father. No one else in each side of each family has blue eyes. Brown or hazel are dominant.
Good,old fashioned Punnet squares might offer a clue.
But DNA is a miraculous thing. It carries everyone you ever were since time began. Genetic memory.


41 posted on 07/09/2010 10:18:38 PM PDT by MestaMachine (De inimico non loquaris sed cogites- Don't wish ill for your enemy; plan it)
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To: SunkenCiv

normally people have 46 chromosome pairs, which means that (at least) 18 of the gr-gr-gr-gr-grandparents haven’t passed down ANY chromosomes at all to you.
_____________________________________________

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

And yet the “traits” somehow get through...


42 posted on 07/09/2010 10:19:58 PM PDT by Tennessee Nana
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To: Tennessee Nana
It's simple. Draw a square and make four squares inside. Then you have a 25%, 50%, 75%, 100% probability of a particular gene being dominant.

I am supposed to be going bald and grey at over 55 based on my genealogy but that isn't happening. I am in the 25% square. I have brown hair growing without grey and must get haircuts when it looks bad and shave every day. My cousin went bald at 45. I guess I rolled an 11 on the dice roll:)

43 posted on 07/09/2010 10:22:05 PM PDT by BobS
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To: MestaMachine

Punnet=Punnett.
My bad.


44 posted on 07/09/2010 10:23:38 PM PDT by MestaMachine (De inimico non loquaris sed cogites- Don't wish ill for your enemy; plan it)
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To: Tennessee Nana

:’) A former coworker was talking about her family once, said that she, her ex-husband, and one of their daughters were O blood type, and the other daughter was type A.

That one is not possible, unless of course she had a different father. I was uncharacteristically polite and didn’t mention it. :’)

Same here on the height, I’m over 6 ft, have one sibling who is near 6 ft, and another sibling who is under 5’ 6”. For the most part the ancestors appear to have been short, or had taller ancestors than themselves, but one of my grandmothers was tall, and that’s mostly what has come down. :’)


45 posted on 07/09/2010 10:27:43 PM PDT by SunkenCiv ("Fools learn from experience. I prefer to learn from the experience of others." -- Otto von Bismarck)
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To: BobS

I played with those things like other people do crossword puzzles. Some of them were so complex I drove my prof nuts. Not a perfect predictor, but darned close.


46 posted on 07/09/2010 10:28:59 PM PDT by MestaMachine (De inimico non loquaris sed cogites- Don't wish ill for your enemy; plan it)
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To: Tennessee Nana

46 of the chromosomes will pass down traits, yes.


47 posted on 07/09/2010 10:29:27 PM PDT by SunkenCiv ("Fools learn from experience. I prefer to learn from the experience of others." -- Otto von Bismarck)
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To: BobS; blam

Depends on the gene — blood types A and B are codominant; type O means the genes that code for either A or B blood proteins are not present, so there is no blood type per se. 40 percent of the world (but see next paragraph) is A, 40 percent O, 15 percent B, and 5 percent AB (this last one due to having one parent who passed down A, the other parent passed down B).

There’s also the M and N blood group, which is terribly rare, and for the most part (for now) geographically restricted to the area around the Bay of Bengal I think, maybe an artifact of blam’s Sundaland refugees. ;’)

For that matter, I’ve heard of something called Bombay Syndrome; the conventional blood test returns a result of A bloodtype, but the genes are just a hair different, and an A transfusion will kill the Bombay blood patient.


48 posted on 07/09/2010 10:33:44 PM PDT by SunkenCiv ("Fools learn from experience. I prefer to learn from the experience of others." -- Otto von Bismarck)
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To: Tennessee Nana

I have some relatives that have very dark hair and dark brown eyes (husband and wife). They had a son.. bright blue eyes, blond hair and very fair. He is the spitting image of his grandfather! It’s amazing how that works.


49 posted on 07/09/2010 10:34:33 PM PDT by Trillian
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To: doc1019

“WOW! I have studied and heard many theories of our supposed beginnings, but yours is unique.”

And infinitely more logical than some ape was my daddy.


50 posted on 07/09/2010 10:36:08 PM PDT by MestaMachine (De inimico non loquaris sed cogites- Don't wish ill for your enemy; plan it)
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To: neverdem

” Furthermore, this work emphasizes the critical need for comprehensive analysis of relevant populations to gather a complete picture of migratory events.”
____________________________________________________________

“relevant populations”? Is there an irrelevant population?


51 posted on 07/09/2010 10:37:08 PM PDT by MWestMom (Tread carefully, truth lies here.)
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To: SunkenCiv

Here’s one for ya. My dad had jet black hair, was blue eyed, short, tilted towards pudgy, left handed, dyslexic, and brilliant. He was an artist, writer, musician, a magnificent singer, (Kohen,) and scholar who was studying to become a surgeon but an accident cost him two fingers on his left hand. So he became an architect.
My mother had red hair, hazel eyes, was right handed, tall, slender, artistic. She was an fine artist, a musician, composer, and poetress.
I am ambidextrous and dyslexic. I have red hair, blue eyes, barely 5’3” and 100 pounds (give or take two or three.)
My daughter is a left handed, reddish blond, blue eyed, artistic beauty. Am watching for dyslexia and brilliance...not necessarily in that order

ta dum!


52 posted on 07/09/2010 11:14:54 PM PDT by MestaMachine (De inimico non loquaris sed cogites- Don't wish ill for your enemy; plan it)
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To: doc1019
Obvious question: So, how did the earliest natives in America get here?

Duh- Stargates!

53 posted on 07/09/2010 11:17:07 PM PDT by Sarajevo (You're jealous because the voices only talk to me.)
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To: MWestMom

Obviously the powers that be seem to think so.


54 posted on 07/09/2010 11:17:47 PM PDT by MestaMachine (De inimico non loquaris sed cogites- Don't wish ill for your enemy; plan it)
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To: MWestMom

It is a puzzlement to me how so many equate “knowledge” with wisdom and armed with their “knowlege,” presume that ancient peoples lacked either..,or both.


55 posted on 07/09/2010 11:25:53 PM PDT by MestaMachine (De inimico non loquaris sed cogites- Don't wish ill for your enemy; plan it)
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To: Tennessee Nana
2 brown eyed people could have a blue eyed baby...it depends on if they both had brown eyes but carry the recessive blue gene...There are many degree's of brown eyes...Deep colored brown such as with African Americans its harder to get blue eyes...they would have to have some white or asian blood in their ancestry. Brown eyes are dominate, but could be hetero zygot or homozygot. Genetics is fascinating.

In that case with brown eyed children if they had 4 children I would be homozygous, carrying only brown eye genes, 2 of the offspring would be brown eyed...but carry the recessive blue eyed gene and 1 would be blue eyed...pure recessive gene... Biology 101 in college course on the genetics of passing along certain characterics like eye color...

I had a wild turkey fly into my turkey pen where I was raising Royal Palm Turkeys....All white with a black edge on each feather. A specific breed of turkey..Had to put on heavy gloves to separate the two toms fighting. It was a bloody mess...I took the wild one and put him in a room in the chicken coop where I had a Royal Palm tom (too young to breed) and a female royal Palm....All offspring looked like wild turkeys but carried the recessive gene for the royal palm turkey..But in breeding them back some were wild in color but carried the recessive gene for white feathers with black edges, some were pure royal palm and others came out with cocoa brown feathers like nestles cocoa...looked like neither parent. Brown eyed people can have blue eyed children. Depends on wherether the eye colored gene was homozygote or heterozygot..

Hope this is not too confusing...

56 posted on 07/10/2010 1:07:06 AM PDT by goat granny
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To: SunkenCiv

Sundaland

57 posted on 07/10/2010 5:09:15 AM PDT by blam
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To: Trillian

Yeah, that’s pretty common for traits to skip a generation.


58 posted on 07/10/2010 7:21:33 AM PDT by miliantnutcase
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To: goat granny
All offspring looked like wild turkeys

How'd they taste?

59 posted on 07/10/2010 8:34:13 AM PDT by MurrietaMadman (Luke 23:31)
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To: MurrietaMadman
We also raised meat turkeys for the table....It takes 4 years for a Royal Palm to reach adulthood. At 2 they are mostly bone and little meat...Ended up giving or selling the wild cross one's...

4 were given too a friend and that's why I know how there colors were...The Nestles cocoa brown ones were beautiful. She said all were tasty...but only let them breed once, with all the other animals on her farm, she didn't need to raise turkeys too so 2 years of turkey was enough for her... I gave one neighbor a 4 year old Royal Palm and he expected it to be a tough old bird...said it was the best turkey he ever had...

A meat turkey is fully mature and ready to eat at about 4-5 months...They dressed out to over 20 pounds...My kids each got one for their table...but the tasty birds were the chickens we raised for the freezer. Almost all breast and at 3 months dressed out from 4-6 pounds...They were a cross bred (don't remember the 2 cross's but were eating machines.I think they were called White Rock Cross chicks)..had those professionally butchered and hubby sold quite a few at work...and they came back for more...tasty if one loves real chicken and the not stuff you get in the store thats water soaked to add weight...

Those were obtained as day olds and were what is called straight run, meaning both hen and cockerels..if you purchased only the male chicks it cost more, they were the ones that dressed out 5 pounds or more in 3 months. And we knew what kind of feed they got and no added medications to their feed..

Only ate a couple of our turkeys, nasty to butcher for a novice. I didn't like dressing them out myself and it wasn't worth taking them to the farmer that butchered fowl for one 1 turkey.. According to my course in genetic's, the cocoa brown ones were a surprise. Didn't look like either parent, so color of fowl does not necessarily follow the same pattern as breeding for eye colr..

PS 20 meat chicks would go through 3/4 ton of feed in those 3-4 months...mostly in the last month. They ate a special brand of feed not laying mash and corn like regular chickens. Other chickens were free range and were roosting already about 6 in the evening...the meat chickens were kept in the coop. They grew so fast they couldn't fly..

60 posted on 07/10/2010 9:11:44 AM PDT by goat granny
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