Future impact of the HGP on bioarcheology
Rapid progress in genome science and a glimpse into its potential applications have spurred
observers to predict that biology will be the foremost science of the 21st century. Technology
and resources generated by the Human Genome Project and other genomics research are already
having a major impact on research across the life sciences. Some current and potential
applications of genome research include
 molecular medicine
 microbial genomics
 risk assessment
 bioarchaeology, anthropology, evolution, and human migration
 DNA forensics (identification)
 agriculture, livestock breeding, and bioprocessing
Bioarchaeology, Anthropology, Evolution, and Human Migration
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study evolution through germline mutations in lineages
study migration of different population groups based on female genetic inheritance
study mutations on the Y chromosome to trace lineage and migration of males
compare breakpoints in the evolution of mutations with ages of populations and
historical events
Recent advances in DNA technology have added a new dimension to the search for our origins.
In addition to studying the bones, teeth and artifacts of prehistoric people, archeologists can now
also analyze the DNA of past humans. With a technique known as the polymerase chain reaction,
or PCR, scientists can extract a tiny scrap of DNA from a fossil bone and make millions of
copies of it. That provides enough material to enable one to compare the nucleotide sequences of
ancient human DNA with comparable sequences in living humans.
Scientists have now identified the human lineages of the world descended from 10 sons of a
genetic Adam and 18 daughters of Eve. This ancestral human population lived in Africa and
started to split up 144,000 years ago. This time period is when both the mitochondrial and Y
chromosome trees first branch out.
18 daughters of a genetic Eve
Dr. Douglas C. Wallace and his colleagues at the Emory University School of Medicine in
Atlanta constructed a world female genetic tree based on mitochondrial DNA. Dr. Wallace found
that almost all American Indians have mtNDA that belong to lineages he named A, B, C and D.
Europeans belong to lineages H through K and T through X. The split between the two main
branches in the European tree suggests that modern humans reached Europe 39,000 to 51,000
years ago, Dr. Wallace calculates, a time that corresponds with the archaeological date of at least
35,000 years ago.
In Asia the ancestral lineage is known as M, with descendant branches E, F and G. In the
Americas are lineages A through D. In Africa there is a single main lineage, known as L, which
is divided into three branches. L3, the youngest branch, is common in East Africa and is believed
to be the source of both the Asian and European lineages.
The 7 European daughters of Eve
Prof. Sykes and Oxford University researchers in England have identified seven ancestral
matriarchal groups from which all Europeans appear to be descended. Every European can trace
his or her evolutionary history back to the seven ancestral mother groups, also referred to as the
Seven European Daughters of Eve. Sykes et al. obtained buccal cells from 6,000 individuals and
analyzed the samples using the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis. It is known that mtDNA
mutates at a very slow rate, such as 1 mutation in every 10,000 years. So they figured that the
women would have lived between 8,000 and 45,000 years ago. What is amazing is that all seven
of the genetic groups appear to be descended from the Lara clan, one of three clans that still exist
today in Africa. This is called the African Eve theory. It was proposed in the late 1980's by Allan
Wilson, Mark Stoneking and others. The African Eve theory states that all humans share a
common African ancestor.
The Seven European Daughters of Eve matriarchal groups correspond to Dr. Wallace's lineages
above, and were given names by Prof. Sykes:
Helena: This clan lived in the ice-capped Pyrenees. As the climate warmed, Helena’s
descendants trekked northward to what is now England, some 12,000 years ago. Members of this
group are now present in all European countries.
Jasmine: Her people had a relatively happy life in Syria, where they farmed wheat and raised
domestic animals. Jasmine’s descendants traveled throughout Europe, spreading their
agricultural innovations with them.
Katrine: Members of this group lived in Venice 10,000 years ago. Today most of Katrine’s clan
lives in the Alps.
Tara: Sykes’ maternal ancestry goes back to this group, which settled in Tuscany 17,000 years
ago. Descendants ventured across northern Europe and eventually crossed the English Channel.
Ursula: Users of stone tools, Ursula’s clan members drifted across all of Europe.
Valda: Originally from Spain, Valda and her immediate descendants lived 17,000 years ago.
Later relatives moved into northern Finland and Norway.
Xenia: Her people lived in the Caucasus Mountains 25,000 years ago. Just before the Ice Age,
this clan spread across Europe, and even reached the Americas. [As Dr. Wallace discovered, the
X pattern is a rare European lineage and is also among the northern Native Americans such as
the Ojibwa and Sioux.]
10 sons of a genetic Adam
A male genetic tree based on the analyses of the Y chromosome has been constructed by Dr.
Peter A. Underhill and Dr. Peter J. Oefner of Stanford University. In March 2000, a colleague
published the preliminary findings of this study in a book, "Genes, People and Languages," by
Dr. Luca Cavalli-Sforza (see the Dr's own study "Two Waves", below). The tree starts with a
single Y chromosomal Adam with 10 principal branches. Of these sons of Adam, the first three
(designated I, II and III) are found almost exclusively in Africa. Son III's lineage migrated to
Asia and fathered sons IV-X. These sons then spread through the rest of the world. Son IV
spread to the Sea of Japan, son V to northern India, and sons VI and IX to the South Caspian.
Further investigations can map the origin of every nation the route of their migrations and
explore new connections between origin and language, appearance, typical illnesses etc.
One more thing:
IRISH WITH SPANISH GENETIC INFLUENCE?
Y-chromosome variation and Irish origins, E. Hill, M. Jobling, D. Bradley, 23 March 2000 Volume 404 Nature No.
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