Cited by 519Forensic and Genetic ResearchPleistocene-Era Hominins and ArchaeologyGenetic diversity and population structure

Southern African ancient genomes estimate modern human divergence to 350,000 to 260,000 years ago

Schlebusch, Carina M., Malmström, Helena, Günther, Torsten, Sjödin, Per, Coutinho, Alexandra, Edlund, Hanna, Munters, Arielle R., Vicente, Mário +4 more·2017·Science

Abstract

Ancient DNA pushes human emergence back: Anatomically modern humans evolved in Africa, but pinpointing when has been difficult. Schlebusch et al. sequenced three ancient African genomes from the Stone Age, about 2000 years old, and four from the Iron Age, 300 to 500 years old. One of the oldest samples, sequenced to 13× coverage, appears most closely to resemble individuals from the present-day San population. However, this individual seems to have lacked genetic contributions from other modern African populations, including pastoralists and farmers, which were observed in modern San individuals. Thus, the earliest divergence between human populations may have occurred 350,000 to 260,000 years ago. Science , this issue p. 652

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Crossref · 10.1126/science.aao6266

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  • These Neanderthal haplotype blocks may have originated in ancient European migrants to eastern Africa and spread beyond eastern Africa through gene flow, which is known to have affected even the basal Africa-MBK lineages.

    “These Neanderthal haplotype blocks may have originated in ancient European migrants to eastern Africa (26) and spread beyond eastern Africa through gene flow, which is known to have affected even the basal Africa-MBK lineages (27).”
  • These observations suggest that the population-specific haplotype blocks may be the result of more recent population-specific Neanderthal admixture.

    “These observations suggest that the population-specific haplotype blocks may be the result of more recent population-specific Neanderthal admixture, as has recently been suggested (26–28, 30).”

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Authors
Schlebusch, C. M., Malmström, H., Günther, T., Sjödin, P., Coutinho, A., Edlund, H., Munters, A. R., Vicente, M., Steyn, M., Soodyall, H., Lombard, M., & Jakobsson, M.
Affiliations
  • Uppsala University (SE)
  • University of the Witwatersrand (ZA)
  • National Health Laboratory Service (ZA)
  • University of Johannesburg (ZA)
Corresponding author
  • Schlebusch, Carina M.
  • Malmström, Helena
  • Lombard, Marlize
  • Jakobsson, Mattias
Venue
Science
Published
2017-11-03
Volume
358
Issue
6363
Pages
652-655
ISSN
  • 0036-8075 (ISSN-L)
  • 1095-9203
OpenAlex
W2760172958
Cited by
519
References
105
Citations by year
2026: 23 · 2025: 71 · 2024: 48 · 2023: 57 · 2022: 46 · 2021: 94 · 2020: 49 · 2019: 53 · 2018: 71 · 2017: 7
FWCI
32.68
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Science (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • Wenner-Gren Foundation (award344363)
  • Göran Gustafssons Stiftelse för Naturvetenskaplig och Medicinsk Forskning (award344362)
  • Knut och Alice Wallenbergs Stiftelse (award344359)
  • Vetenskapsrådet (award344360, 642-2013-8019, award344361, 621-2014-5211)
  • South African National Research Foundation (award344364)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Forensic and Genetic Research
  • Social Sciences › Anthropology › Pleistocene-Era Hominins and Archaeology
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Genetic diversity and population structure
Keywords
ancient human genomes, Bantu population, genetic admixture, KwaZulu-Natal, Southern Africa
MeSH terms
DNA, Ancient, Biological Evolution, Humans, South Africa, Genetic Variation, Genome, Human, Black People

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