More Early Neolithic mtDNA from Spain

[A. Tamar Chabadi]

Ancient DNA from an Early Neolithic Iberian
population supports a pioneer colonization by first
farmers

C. GAMBA,* E. FERNA´ NDEZ,*† M. TIRADO,* M. F. DEGUILLOUX,‡ M. H. PEMONGE,‡
P. UTRILLA,§ M. EDO, – M . MOLIST , * * R . RASTEIRO , †† L . CHIKHI ††‡‡§§ and E ARROYO-PARDO *

*Laboratorio de Gene´tica Forense y Gene´tica de Poblaciones, Facultad de Medicina, Pabello´n 7, 4ª Planta, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Avenida Complutense s ⁄ n, 28040 Madrid, Spain, †Instituto de Arqueologia e Paleocieˆncias, Universidade do Algarve, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal, ‡UMR 5199 PACEA, Laboratoire d’Anthropologie Des Populations Passe´es et Pre´sentes, Universite´ Bordeaux 1, 33405 Talence cedex, France, §Departamento de Ciencias de la Antigu¨ edad, Universidad de Zaragoza, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain, –Departament de Prehisto`ria, Histo`ria Antiga i Arqueologia, Universitat de Barcelona, 08032 Barcelona, Spain, **Departamento de Prehistoria, Universitat Auto`noma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain, ††Instituto Gulbenkian de Cieˆncia, P-2780-156 Oeiras, Portugal, ‡‡CNRS, Universite´ Paul Sabatier, ENFA; UMR 5174 EDB (Laboratoire Evolution & Diversite´ Biologique); 118 route de Narbonne, F-31062 Toulouse, France, §§Universite´ de Toulouse; UMR 5174 EDB, F-31062 Toulouse, France


Abstract
The Neolithic transition has been widely debated particularly regarding the extent to
which this revolution implied a demographic expansion from the Near East. We
attempted to shed some light on this process in northeastern Iberia by combining ancient
DNA (aDNA) data from Early Neolithic settlers and published DNA data from Middle
Neolithic and modern samples from the same region. We successfully extracted and
amplified mitochondrial DNA from 13 human specimens, found at three archaeological
sites dated back to the Cardial culture in the Early Neolithic (Can Sadurnı´ and Chaves)
and to the Late Early Neolithic (Sant Pau del Camp). We found that haplogroups with a
low frequency in modern populations—N* and X1—are found at higher frequencies in
our Early Neolithic population (31% ). Genetic differentiation between Early and
Middle Neolithic populations was significant (FST 0.13, P <10)5), suggesting that
genetic drift played an important role at this time. To improve our understanding of the
Neolithic demographic processes, we used a Bayesian coalescence-based simulation
approach to identify the most likely of three demographic scenarios that might explain
the genetic data. The three scenarios were chosen to reflect archaeological knowledge and
previous genetic studies using similar inferential approaches. We found that models that
ignore population structure, as previously used in aDNA studies, are unlikely to explain
the data. Our results are compatible with a pioneer colonization of northeastern Iberia at
the Early Neolithic characterized by the arrival of small genetically distinctive groups,
showing cultural and genetic connections with the Near East.

Keywords: ancient DNA, Iberian Peninsula, mitochondrial DNA, Neolithic

Received 8 July 2011; revision received 5 October 2011; accepted 11 October 2011

[Carlos]

Is that all?

[A. Tamar Chabadi]

Hi, Carlos!

What more do you want? I have the paper if you would like it.

[Maciamo]

The team of C. Gamba and E. Fernandez, who already gave us four ancient mtDNA studies for Eastern and Southern Spain, working in collaboration with M.F. Deguilloux (mtDNA from Megalithic France), has released a new paper comprising the mtDNA sequences of 13 new Early Neolithic (5000-5500 BCE, Cardium Pottery Culture) samples from Catalonia.

The supporting data mentions 4 samples belonging to haplogroup R, HV, H or U (not very accurate), 4 to haplogroup N, 3 to haplogroup K, 1 to haplogroup U5 and 1 to haplogroup X1.

No big surprise here, except perhaps the absence of hg J and T (too small sample size I presume). The rest is completely in line with other Early Neolithic data from Western Europe, notably the high frequency of N, which suddenly disappears from the Late Neolithic onwards, and the high percentage of K, which only decreases from the Bronze Age.

[Knovas]

There was already a thread here: http://www.eupedia.com/forum/showthr...pulation_MtDNA

The K perhaps is not so surprising, the problem is I don't know if they especify the subclades (last reference in Iberia was K1a). My mother's side is fully Catalan from a very small town, and you see the haplogroup...

[Maciamo]

Oh, I missed it. It didn't show up when I clicked on new posts. I suppose that's because I left a tab open in the browser while checking other pages.

EDIT : I have merged the two threads.

[Maciamo]

Hi, Carlos!

What more do you want? I have the paper if you would like it.

Does the paper mention more details about the 4 samples that are R, HV, H or U ?

[A. Tamar Chabadi]

Hi, Maciamo!

Gamba et al. 2011_ Cardial Culture Mt-DNA.jpg

Does this help?

I have been trying to figure out how to upload images...duh (face palm)...the image thingy is in the format and toolbar thingy above the comment box...hahahaha

[Maciamo]

Hi, Maciamo!

Gamba et al. 2011_ Cardial Culture Mt-DNA.jpg

Does this help?

I have been trying to figure out how to uplaod images...duh (face palm)...the image thingy is in the format and toolbar thingy above the comment box...hahahaha

Perfect, thanks !