engleski

Lessons Learned from the distribution of Y-chromosomal haplogroups in Central and Eastern Europe

Present distribution of paternal and maternal lineages in Europe is a result of great many demographic events: initial, Upper Paleolithic peopling of the continent, post-LGM re-colonization and Neolithic expansion being probably the main players. We have analyzed Y-chromosomal variation in 16 central and eastern European populations (N~1200), belonging to Indo-European, Finno-Ugric and Turkic language groups. Y-chromosomal haplogroups, as defined by binary markers, were established and further characterized by a set of STR markers. A nomenclature proposed recently by Y chromosome consortium, is followed. Among studied by us populations, haplogroup R1a (defined by SRY 1532) is nearly uniformly (30%-50%) present all over the area from the Ukraine to the Ural mountains, supporting a suggestion that its phylogeography is likely determined by re-colonization of the northwestern Eurasia after the LGM. Another dominant haplogroup among central and eastern European populations is haplogroup I, defined by M170. It has arisen, probably in Europe, about 20 000 years ago. High frequency of haplogroup N3a was detected in Baltic region in Estonians, Latvians and Lithuanians (also in Finns, Karelians and Saami), and in some Volga populations. Much higher STR diversity of N3a in Eastern Europe compared to that in Siberia suggest a massive eastward Y-chromosomal flow across all linguistic borders en route. The story told by Y chromosome is but a part of the demographic history, but clearly a very intriguing one.

Y chromosome; haplogroups; population structure; Central and Eastern Europe

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