A new subclade of mtDNA haplogroup C1 found in icelanders

Evidence of pre‐columbian contact

Bibliographic Data

ID8314145
AuthorsS Sunna Ebenesersdóttir (0000-0001-5912-4401, deCODE Genetics (Iceland), corresponding author), Ásgeir Sigurðsson (0000-0002-6911-8248, deCODE Genetics (Iceland)), Federico Sánchez‐quinto (0000-0002-0201-6204, Institut de Biologia Evolutiva), Carles Lalueza-Fox (0000-0002-1730-5914, Institut de Biologia Evolutiva), Carles Lalueza‐fox, Kári Stefánsson (0000-0003-1676-864X, deCODE Genetics (Iceland)), Agnar Helgason (0000-0002-8545-3767, deCODE Genetics (Iceland))
Year2011
Volume144
Issue1
Pages92-99
Publication date2011-01-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueAmerican Journal of Physical Anthropology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0002-9483 • E-ISSN: 1096-8644
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1002/ajpa.21419
PMID21069749
OpenAlexW2037915591
LanguageEN
Citations received7
References cited29

Although most mtDNA lineages observed in contemporary Icelanders can be traced to neighboring populations in the British Isles and Scandinavia, one may have a more distant origin. This lineage belongs to haplogroup C1, one of a handful that was involved in the settlement of the Americas around 14,000 years ago. Contrary to an initial assumption that this lineage was a recent arrival, preliminary genealogical analyses revealed that the C1 lineage was present in the Icelandic mtDNA pool at least 300 years ago. This raised the intriguing possibility that the Icelandic C1 lineage could be traced to Viking voyages to the Americas that commenced in the 10th century. In an attempt to shed further light on the entry date of the C1 lineage into the Icelandic mtDNA pool and its geographical origin, we used the deCODE Genetics genealogical database to identify additional matrilineal ancestors that carry the C1 lineage and then sequenced the complete mtDNA genome of 11 contemporary C1 carriers from four different matrilines. Our results indicate a latest possible arrival date in Iceland of just prior to 1700 and a likely arrival date centuries earlier. Most surprisingly, we demonstrate that the Icelandic C1 lineage does not belong to any of the four known Native American (C1b, C1c, and C1d) or Asian (C1a) subclades of haplogroup C1. Rather, it is presently the only known member of a new subclade, C1e. While a Native American origin seems most likely for C1e, an Asian or European origin cannot be ruled out. Am J Phys Anthropol, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc

Allele · Biology · Clade · Evolutionary biology · Gene · Genealogy · Geography · Haplogroup · Haplotype · Human mitochondrial DNA haplogroup · Icelandic · Lineage (genetic) · Mitochondrial DNA · Phylogenetics · Subclade · Forensic and Genetic Research · Genetic diversity and population structure · Genetics · Genomics and Phylogenetic Studies · History

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