Y chromosome haplotypes reveal prehistorical migrations to the Himalayas

B. Su, C. Xiao, R. Deka, M. T. Seielstad, D. Kangwanpong, J. Xiao, D. Lu, P. Underhill, L. Cavalli-Sforza, R. Chakraborty, L. Jin

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

217 Scopus citations

Abstract

By using 19 Y chromosome biallelic markers and 3 Y chromosome microsatellite markers, we analyzed the genetic structure of 31 indigenous Sino-Tibetan speaking populations (607 individuals) currently residing in East, Southeast, and South Asia. Our results showed that a T to C mutation at locus M122 is highly prevalent in almost all of the Sino-Tibetan populations, implying a strong genetic affinity among populations in the same language family. Furthermore, the extremely high frequency of H8, a haplotype derived from M122C, in the Sino-Tibetan speaking populations in the Himalayas including Tibet and northeast India indicated a strong bottleneck effect that occurred during a westward and then southward migration of the founding population of Tibeto-Burmans. We, therefore, postulate that the ancient people, who lived in the upper-middle Yellow River basin about 10,000 years ago and developed one of the earliest Neolithic cultures in East Asia, were the ancestors of modern Sino-Tibetan populations.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)582-590
Number of pages9
JournalHuman Genetics
Volume107
Issue number6
DOIs
StatePublished - 2000

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Y chromosome haplotypes reveal prehistorical migrations to the Himalayas'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this