Genetic Genealogy & Ancient DNA (TITLES/ABSTRACTS)

[HurrianFam]

Population genomics of Central Asian peoples unveil ancient Trans-Eurasian genetic admixture and cultural exchanges
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/ar...via%3Dihub

Abstract
Central Asia, a crucible of prehistoric and historical Trans-Eurasian interactions, has been pivotal in shaping cultural exchanges, population dynamics, and genetic admixture. Recent insights from ancient DNA studies have shed light on the extensive population turnover within this region, encompassing a spectrum of groups from Paleolithic hunter-gatherers to Holocene herders and the nomadic pastoralist empires of historical times. The genomic analysis of ancient pathogens across the Eurasian steppe has further deepened our understanding of pathogen origins, clonal expansions, and the intricate processes of host-pathogen coevolution in relation to varying pathogen exposures and their spread. We consolidate the latest findings pertaining to the ancient human and pathogen genomes of Central Asia, elucidating their profound influence on the genomic tapestry of contemporary Central Asians. A notable gap in the current genomic databases for Central Asia is underscored, particularly within the scope of genomics-driven precision medicine. We stress the urgent need for the development of extensive, region-specific genomic resources that hold promise for revealing the genetic blueprints underlying human traits and diseases, refining polygenic scoring models for predictive medicine, and bolstering genomic research endeavors across Central Asia.

[Pribislav]

Out-of-Anatolia: cultural and genetic interactions during the Neolithic expansion in the Aegean

Dilek Koptekin et al.

Abstract

Western Anatolia has been a crucial yet elusive element in the Neolithic expansion from the Fertile Crescent to Europe. Using 30 new palaeogenomes from Anatolia c.8000-6000 BCE we describe the early Holocene genetic landscape of Western Anatolia, suggesting population continuity since the late Upper Pleistocene. Our findings indicate that the Neolithisation of Western Anatolia in the 7th millennium BCE was a multifaceted process, characterised by the assimilation of Neolithic practices by indigenous groups and the influx of populations from the east, their admixed descendants eventually laying the foundations of Neolithic Southeast Europe. Intriguingly, the observed diversity in material culture among Aegean Early Neolithic communities correlates with their geographical distances but not their genetic differences, signifying a decoupling between cultural developments and genetic admixture processes.

https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/...3.599747v1

[ilabv]

Life history and ancestry of the Late Upper Palaeolithic infant from Grotta delle Mura (southern Italy, 17 ka)

University of Florence

Abstract

Western Anatolia has been a crucial yet elusive element in the Neolithic expansion from the Fertile Crescent to Europe. Using 30 new palaeogenomes from Anatolia c.8000-6000 BCE we describe the early Holocene genetic landscape of Western Anatolia, suggesting population continuity since the late Upper Pleistocene. Our findings indicate that the Neolithisation of Western Anatolia in the 7th millennium BCE was a multifaceted process, characterised by the assimilation of Neolithic practices by indigenous groups and the influx of populations from the east, their admixed descendants eventually laying the foundations of Neolithic Southeast Europe. Intriguingly, the observed diversity in material culture among Aegean Early Neolithic communities correlates with their geographical distances but not their genetic differences, signifying a decoupling between cultural developments and genetic admixture processes.

https://www.ebi.ac.uk/ena/browser/view/PRJEB66279



Sending to David tomorrow

[old europe]

the correct abstract of the paper


Life history and ancestry of the Late Upper Palaeolithic infant from Grotta delle Mura (southern Italy, 17 ka)

University of Florence

Abstract



At the end of the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), a general climate improvement determined a period of great transformation, with new human expansions and changes in material culture across Europe. Despite recent works on social and population dynamics, the role of southern refugia and the biological aspects related to early life history of late Upper Palaeolithic individuals are still not well understood. This study presents a multidisciplinary, high temporal resolution investigation of an Upper Palaeolithic infant from Grotta delle Mura (Apulia, Italy) combining palaeogenomics, dental palaeohistology, spatially-resolved geochemical analyses, and direct AMS radiocarbon dating. The skeletal remains of the infant – Le Mura 1 – were directly dated to 17,079-16,990 cal BP. The results portray a biological history of the development, early life, health and death of the infant. They reveal mobility patterns during gestation, identify several phenotypic traits and a potential congenital disease, and indicate a high level of endogamy. Furthermore, they remark an early spread of the Villabruna-like components along the Italian peninsula, confirming a population turnover around the time of the LGM, and highlight a general reduction in genetic variability from northern to southern Italy. Overall, Le Mura 1 contributes to our better understanding of the early stages of life and the genetic puzzle in the Italian peninsula at the end of the LGM.