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Cited by 50Forensic and Genetic ResearchGenetic diversity and population structurePleistocene-Era Hominins and Archaeology

Influence of Admixture and Paleolithic Range Contractions on Current European Diversity Gradients

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Arenas, Miguel, François, Olivier, Currat, Mathias, Ray, Nicolas, Excoffier, Laurent·2013·Molecular Biology and Evolution
DOI 10.1093/molbev/mss203
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Abstract

Cavalli-Sforza and Edwards (Analysis of human evolution. 1963. In: Geerts SJ, editor. Genetics today: Proceedings of the 11th International Congress of Genetics, The Hague, The Netherlands. New York: Pergamon. p. 923-993.) initiated the representation of genetic relationships among human populations with principal component (PC) analysis (PCA). Their study revealed the presence of a southeast-northwest (SE-NW) gradient of genetic variation in current European populations, which was interpreted as the result of the demic diffusion of early neolithic farmers during their expansion from the near east. However, this interpretation has been questioned, as PCA gradients can occur even when there is no expansion and because the first PC axis is often orthogonal to the expansion axis. Here, we revisit PCA patterns obtained under realistic scenarios of the settlement of Europe, focusing on the effects of various levels of admixture between paleolithic and neolithic populations, and of range contractions during the last glacial maximum (LGM). Using extensive simulations, we find that the first PC (PC1) gradients are orthogonal to the expansion axis, but only when the expansion is recent (neolithic). More ancient (paleolithic) expansions alter the orientation of the PC1 gradient due to a spatial homogenization of genetic diversity over time, and to the exact location of LGM refugia from which re-expansions proceeded. Overall we find that PC1 gradients consistently follow an SE-NW orientation if there is a large paleolithic contribution to the current European gene pool, and if the main refuge area during the last ice age was in the Iberian Peninsula. Our study suggests that an SE-NW PC1 gradient is compatible with little genetic impact of neolithic populations on the current European gene pool, and that range contractions have affected observed genetic patterns.

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  • Different events of population contractions and expansions during the Paleolithic related to the Last Glacial Maximum could have affected the latitudinal gradient more than the one seen for longitude.

    “Different events of population contractions and expansions during the Paleolithic related to the LGM (45, 46) could have affected the latitudinal gradient more than the one seen for longitude.”

    From Past human expansions shaped the spatial pattern of Neanderthal ancestry (2023) · cites this paper as [45]

    The Introduction reports that Paleolithic range contractions and re-expansions around the LGM can substantially change the orientation of simulated European genetic gradients. It does not establish that the latitudinal gradient was affected more than the longitudinal one; the reported orientation depends on the location of the refugium and requires a large Paleolithic contribution. (LLM, conf=0.85)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • The sole observation of a southeast to northwest genetic cline in Europe is not informative about the expansion of farmers, as the cline could have been generated during the previous hunter-gatherer expansion.

    “As previously noted (45, 46), the sole observation of a south east to north west genetic cline in Europe is not informative about the expansion of FAs, as the cline could have been generated during the previous HG expansion.”

    From Past human expansions shaped the spatial pattern of Neanderthal ancestry (2023) · cites this paper as [45]

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Research works printed but not linked: 1

  1. Cavalli-Sforza LL, Edwards AWF. 1963. Analysis of human evolution. In: Geerts SJ, editor. Genetics today: proceedings of the 11th interna- tional congress of genetics, The Hague, The Netherlands. New York: Pergamon. p. 923-993.

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Authors
Arenas, M., François, O., Currat, M., Ray, N., & Excoffier, L.
Affiliations
  • University of Bern (CH)
  • Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR)
  • University of Geneva (CH)
Corresponding author
Arenas, Miguel
ORCID
Venue
Molecular Biology and Evolution
Publisher
Oxford University Press (OUP)
Published
2012-08-25
Volume
30
Issue
1
Pages
57-61
ISSN
  • 0737-4038 (ISSN-L)
  • 1537-1719
DOI
10.1093/molbev/mss203
OpenAlex
W2109073016
Cited by
50
References
36
Citations by year
2023: 1 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 6 · 2017: 2 · 2016: 3 · 2015: 7 · 2014: 5 · 2013: 9 · 2012: 2
FWCI
4.43
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Molecular Biology and Evolution (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Archive ouverte UNIGE (University of Geneva) (publishedVersion, other-oa)
  • HAL (submittedVersion)
  • Bern Open Repository and Information System (University of Bern) (submittedVersion)
  • Archive ouverte UNIGE (University of Geneva) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
Funders
  • National Science Foundation
  • European Commission (226852)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Forensic and Genetic Research
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Genetic diversity and population structure
  • Social Sciences › Anthropology › Pleistocene-Era Hominins and Archaeology
Keywords
principal component analysis, range contraction, Last Glacial Maximum refugia
MeSH terms
Alleles, Ethnicity, Europe, Biological Evolution, Gene Frequency, Gene Pool, Humans, Middle East, Genetic Variation, Principal Component Analysis, White People

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