mtDNA

A strong clinal change in salinity occurs between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea, Atlantic Ocean, in the Danish Straits, where hybridization zone between mussels Mytilus edulis and M. trossulus has been reported. Eleven samples of mussels were studied from the Danish Straits and the inner Baltic Sea. Extensive introgression of M. edulis alleles from the North Sea into populations throughout the Baltic was ascertained for mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and two nuclear markers (ME15–16 and ITS). In the opposite direction, introgression of M. trossulus alleles into the M. edulis background was observed at the EFbis nuclear marker in populations from Kattegat (Danish Straits). While only M. edulis F (female) mtDNA was present in the Baltic, there were still strong differences in frequencies in the control region length variants between the Danish Straits and the inner Baltic samples, and weaker variation in coding region ND2–COIII haplotype frequencies. In the assays of the two mtDNA regions, various patterns of heteroplasmy were detected in 32% of all the studied individual mussels; this includes the presence of distinct, independently inherited M and F mitochondria in males, as well as the presence of two different distinguishable F genomes. The male-inherited M mtDNA genomes are quite common in the mussels from the Danish Straits, but very rare in males from the inner Baltic. Instead, a recombined control region variant (1r), which seems to have taken over the role of the M genome, was present in a number of specimens in the Baltic. Observations of heteroplasmy for two F genomes in some females and males confirm disruptions of the doubly uniparental inheritance mechanism in the hybrid Baltic Mytilus.

Chernov S.Z., Goncharova N.N., Semenov A.S. Results of determination of Y-DNA haplogroups for a medieval Slavic burial site of the 12th century in the vicinity of the village of  Degtyarevka, Bryansk region. The aim of the study is to establish the Y-DNA haplogroups of a medieval Slavic  burial mound of the XII century near the village of Degtyareva, Bryansk region (the valley of  the Iput River). The archaeological and anthropological contexts of the monument are described. The predicted belonging of the individual to the Y-haplogroup T allows us to assume  the participation of the ancient "Neolithic package" of the Southern European gene pool in the  male line of the buried ancestor. This participation could be connected either with the ancestors  of the Slavs-Radimichi or with the ancestors of the autochthonous population, whose traditions  are made known by the Radimichi burials with an eastern orientation.  Цель исследования – установить гаплогруппы Y-ДНК средневекового славянского курганного погребения XII в. близ с. Дегтяревка Брянской обл. на р. Ипуть. Описан археологический и антропологический контекст памятника. Прогнозируемая принадлежность  индивидуума к Y-гаплогруппе T позволяет предполагать участие древнего «неолитического пакета» южно-европейского генофонда в мужской линии предков погребенного. Это участие могло быть связано с предками славян-радимичей либо с предками автохтонного населения, о традициях которого дают знать радимичские погребения с восточной ориентировкой.  Ключевые слова: палео-ДНК SNP и STR маркеры Y-хромосомы, гаплогруппы, секвенирование, восточные славяне.

Ancient DNA is revealing new insights into the genetic relationship between Pleistocene hominins and modern humans. Nuclear DNA indicated Neanderthals as a sister group of Denisovans after diverging from modern humans. However, the closer affinity of the Neanderthal mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) to modern humans than Denisovans has recently been suggested as the result of gene flow from an African source into Neanderthals before 100,000 years ago. Here we report the complete mtDNA of an archaic femur from the Hohlenstein–Stadel (HST) cave in southwestern Germany. HST carries the deepest divergent mtDNA lineage that splits from other Neanderthals B270,000 years ago, providing a lower boundary for the time of the putative mtDNA introgression event. We demonstrate that a complete Neanderthal mtDNA replacement is feasible over this time interval even with minimal hominin introgression. The highly divergent HST branch is indicative of greater mtDNA diversity during the Middle Pleistocene than in later periods.

A few decades after the collapse of the Avar Khaganate (c. 822 AD), Hungarian invaders conquered the Carpathian Basin (c. 862–895 AD). The first Hungarian ruling dynasty, the Árpáds played an important role in European history during the Middle Ages. King Béla III (1172–1196) was one of the most significant rulers of the dynasty. He also consolidated Hungarian dominance over the Northern Balkans. The provostry church of the Virgin Mary (commonly known as the Royal Basilica of Székesfehérvár) played a prominent role as a coronation church and burial place of medieval Hungarian kings. The basilica's building and graves had been destroyed over the centuries. The only royal graves that remained intact were those of King Béla III and his first spouse, Anna of Antioch. These graves were discovered in 1848. We defined the autosomal STR (short tandem repeat) fingerprints of the royal couple and eight additional individuals (two females and six males) found in the Royal Basilica. These results revealed no evidence of first-degree relationship between any of the investigated individuals. Y-chromosomal STR profiles were also established for all the male skeletons. Based upon the Y-chromosomal data, one male skeleton showed an obvious patrilineal relationship to King Béla III. A database search uncovered an existing Y-chromosomal haplotype, which had a single-repeat difference compared to that of King Béla. It was discovered in a person living in an area close to Hungary. This current male line is probably related paternally to the Árpád Dynasty. The control region of the mitochondrial DNA was determined in the royal couple and in the remains of the inferred relative. The mitochondrial results excluded sibling relationship between the King and the patrilineal relative. In summary, we successfully defined a Y-chromosomal profile of King Béla III, which can serve as a reference for the identification of further remains and disputed living descendants of the Árpád Dynasty. Among the examined skeletons, we discovered an Árpád member, whose exact affiliation, however, has not yet been established.

The rapid growth of genetic ancestry testing has brought concerns that these tests will transform consumers' racial and ethnic identities, producing " geneticized " identities determined by genetic knowledge. Drawing on 100 qualitative interviews with White, Black, Hispanic/Latino, Asian, and Native Americans, we develop the genetic options theory to account for how genetic ancestry tests influence consumers' ethnic and racial identities. It maintains that consumers do not accept the tests' results as given, but choose selectively from the estimates according to two mechanisms: their identity aspirations and social appraisals. Yet consumers' prior racialization also influences their identity aspirations; White respondents aspired to new identities more readily and in substantively different ways. Our findings suggest that genetic ancestry testing can reinforce race privilege among those who already experience it.