The genetic landscape of Mediterranean North African populations through complete mtDNA sequences

• Main Authors: Neus Font-Porterias (Author), Neus Solé-Morata (Author), Gerard Serra-Vidal (Author), Asmahan Bekada (Author), Karima Fadhlaoui-Zid (Author), Pierre Zalloua (Author), Francesc Calafell (Author), David Comas (Author)
• Format: Book
• Published: Taylor & Francis Group, 2018-01-01T00:00:00Z.
• Subjects: article
• Online Access: Connect to this object online.

Summary

Background: The genetic composition of human North African populations is an amalgam of different ancestral components coming from the Middle East, Europe, south-Saharan Africa and autochthonous to North Africa. This complex genetic pattern is the result of migrations and admixtures in the region since Palaeolithic times. Aims: The objective of the present study is to refine knowledge of the population history of North African populations through the analysis of complete mitochondrial sequences. Subjects and methods: This study has sequenced complete mitochondrial DNAs (mtDNAs) in several North African and neighbouring individuals. Results: The mtDNA haplogroup classification and phylogeny shows a high genetic diversity in the region as a result of continuous admixture. The phylogenetic analysis allowed us to identify a new haplogroup characterised by positions 10 101 C and 146 C (H1v2), a sub-branch of H1v, which is restricted to North Africa and whose origins are estimated as ∼4000 years ago. Conclusions: The analysis of the complete mtDNA genome has allowed for the identification of a North African sub-lineage that might be ignored by the analysis of partial mtDNA control region sequences, highlighting the phylogeographic relevance of mtDNA complete sequence analysis.

Item Description

0301-4460
1464-5033
10.1080/03014460.2017.1413133