Unraveling the complex maternal history of Southern African Khoisan populations

ABSTRACT The Khoisan populations of southern Africa are known to harbor some of the deepest‐rooting lineages of human mtDNA; however, their relationships are as yet poorly understood. Here, we report the results of analyses of complete mtDNA genome sequences from nearly 700 individuals representing...

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Published in:American journal of physical anthropology 2014-03, Vol.153 (3), p.435-448
Main Authors: Barbieri, Chiara, Güldemann, Tom, Naumann, Christfried, Gerlach, Linda, Berthold, Falko, Nakagawa, Hirosi, Mpoloka, Sununguko W., Stoneking, Mark, Pakendorf, Brigitte
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
African Continental Ancestry Group - genetics
Anthropology, Physical
Botswana
Cluster Analysis
Databases, Genetic
DNA
DNA, Mitochondrial - genetics
Female
Foragers
Genetic Drift
Genetics
Genetics, Population
haplogroup
Haplotypes - genetics
Humanities and Social Sciences
Humans
Indigenous populations
Linguistic anthropology
Linguistics
Male
mtDNA
Namibia
Pastoralism
South Africa
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Summary:ABSTRACT The Khoisan populations of southern Africa are known to harbor some of the deepest‐rooting lineages of human mtDNA; however, their relationships are as yet poorly understood. Here, we report the results of analyses of complete mtDNA genome sequences from nearly 700 individuals representing 26 populations of southern Africa who speak diverse Khoisan and Bantu languages. Our data reveal a multilayered history of the indigenous populations of southern Africa, who are likely to be the result of admixture of different genetic substrates, such as resident forager populations and pre‐Bantu pastoralists from East Africa. We find high levels of genetic differentiation of the Khoisan populations, which can be explained by the effect of drift together with a partial uxorilocal/multilocal residence pattern. Furthermore, there is evidence of extensive contact, not only between geographically proximate groups, but also across wider areas. The results of this contact, which may have played a role in the diffusion of common cultural and linguistic features, are especially evident in the Khoisan populations of the central Kalahari. Am J Phys Anthropol 153:435–448, 2014. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
ISSN:0002-9483
1096-8644
2692-7691
DOI:10.1002/ajpa.22441