A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal

Vestiges of an Ancient Border in the Contemporary Genetic Diversity of North-Eastern Europe




AuthorsNeuvonen AM, Putkonen M, Oversti S, Sundell T, Onkamo P, Sajantila A, Palo JU

PublisherPUBLIC LIBRARY SCIENCE

Publication year2015

JournalPLoS ONE

Journal name in sourcePLOS ONE

Journal acronymPLOS ONE

Article numberARTN e0130331

Volume10

Issue7

Number of pages19

ISSN1932-6203

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0130331


Abstract

It has previously been demonstrated that the advance of the Neolithic Revolution from the Near East through Europe was decelerated in the northernmost confines of the continent, possibly as a result of space and resource competition with lingering Mesolithic populations. Finland was among the last domains to adopt a farming lifestyle, and is characterized by substructuring in the form of a distinct genetic border dividing the northeastern and southwestern regions of the country. To explore the origins of this divergence, the geographical patterns of mitochondrial and Y-chromosomal haplogroups of Neolithic and Mesolithic ancestry were assessed in Finnish populations. The distribution of these uniparental markers revealed a northeastern bias for hunter-gatherer haplogroups, while haplogroups associated with the farming lifestyle clustered in the southwest. In addition, a correlation could be observed between more ancient mitochondrial haplogroup age and eastern concentration. These results coupled with prior archeological evidence suggest the genetic northeast/southwest division observed in contemporary Finland represents an ancient vestigial border between Mesolithic and Neolithic populations undetectable in most other regions of Europe.




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