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Cited by 29Forensic and Genetic ResearchGenetic diversity and population structureEurasian Exchange Networks

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The medieval Mongolian roots of Y-chromosomal lineages from South Kazakhstan

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Abstract

Background: The majority of the Kazakhs from South Kazakhstan belongs to the 12 clans of the Senior Zhuz. According to traditional genealogy, nine of these clans have a common ancestor and constitute the Uissun tribe. There are three main hypotheses of the clans’ origin, namely, origin from early Wusuns, from Niru’un Mongols, or from Darligin Mongols. We genotyped 490 samples of South Kazakhs by 35 Y-chromosomal SNPs (single nucleotide polymorphism) and 17 STRs (short tandem repeat). Additionally, 133 samples from citizen science projects were included into the study. Results: We found that three Uissun clans have unique Y-chromosomal profiles, but the remaining six Uissun clans and one non-Uissun clan share a common paternal gene pool. They share a high frequency (> 40%) of the C2*-ST haplogroup (marked by the SNP F3796), which is associated with the early Niru’un Mongols. Phylogenetic analysis of this haplogroup carried out on 743 individuals from 25 populations of Eurasia has revealed a set of haplotype clusters, three of which contain the Uissun haplotypes. The demographic expansion of these clusters dates back to the 13-fourteenth century, coinciding with the time of the Uissun’s ancestor Maiky-biy known from historical sources. In addition, it coincides with the expansion period of the Mongol Empire in the Late Middle Ages. A comparison of the results with published aDNA (ancient deoxyribonucleic acid) data and modern Y haplogroups frequencies suggest an origin of Uissuns from Niru’un Mongols rather than from Wusuns or Darligin Mongols. Conclusions: The Y-chromosomal variation in South Kazakh clans indicates their common origin in 13th–14th centuries AD, in agreement with the traditional genealogy. Though genetically there were at least three ancestral lineages instead of the traditional single ancestor. The majority of the Y-chromosomal lineages of South Kazakhstan was brought by the migration of the population related to the medieval Niru’un Mongols.

Overview

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TL;DR

Y-chromosomal analysis of South Kazakh clans supports a common paternal origin in the 13th–14th centuries AD, largely from medieval Niru’un Mongols rather than early Wusuns or Darligin Mongols. The traditional single-ancestor genealogy is only partly reproduced: most Uissun and one non-Uissun clan share a C2*-ST/F3796 gene pool, but at least three ancestral lineages are genetically evident.

Key findings

  • Among 490 South Kazakh males from 11 clans, 51% of the Y-chromosomal gene pool belonged to three C2 clades; other common haplogroups were J-M172 (13%), N1a1a-M178 (7%), Q-M242 (7%), and R1a1a-M198 (7%).
  • Six Uissun clans and the non-Uissun Jalair clan shared a common paternal gene pool with high frequency (>40%) of C2*-ST (F3796), while three Uissun clans had unique profiles: Syrgeli was 80% N1a1a-M178, Yssty was 74% J1*-M267(xP58), and Oshakty was genetically specific.
  • Phylogenetic analysis of C2*-ST used 743 individuals from 25 Eurasian populations and found five clusters; South Kazakh samples fell mainly into α (N=44), γ (N=122), and β (N=9). Cluster ages were α 746 years (CI 95% 1104–388), γ 742 years (CI 95% 916–568), and β 701 years (CI 95% 909–493), coinciding with the Mongol Empire expansion and the proposed Uissun ancestor Maiky-biy.
  • The downstream subbranch Y12782 was most frequent among South Kazakh F3796 samples (76%), especially Alban, Dulat, and Suan, with an absolute frequency of 31% in the Uissun tribe; most Zhalaiir (82%) belonged to the F5481 branch.

Methods

  • Blood samples from Kazakh males were collected in Kazakhstan in 2009, 2010, and 2014; 490 samples from 11 South Kazakh clans were genotyped for 35 Y-chromosomal SNPs and 17 Y-STRs, with 133 additional Senior Zhuz samples from citizen science databases analyzed for discussion.
  • SNP genotyping used TaqMan assays on the 7900HT Real-Time PCR System; Y-STR fragment analysis used the Y-filer PCR Amplification Kit on ABI 3130xl and 3500xl analyzers.
  • Phylogenetic networks were built in Network 5/Network Publisher excluding DYS385a/b, using 549 previously published C2*-ST samples from 25 populations; cluster ages used the rho-statistic with a mutation rate of 2.1 × 10−3 per STR per generation and a 30-year generation time.

Limitations

  • The paper states that no sequences of extended Y-chromosome sections were available for the γ-cluster, and the SNP marker defining this subclade has not yet been determined; it also calls for future full Y-chromosome sequencing, SNP typing for Y12782 and F8949, and ancient DNA comparisons with proto-Mongols and early Wusun people.
  • The paper notes that sample sizes for four clans were small (N < 20), and that citizen science data for the Shanyshkly clan were contradictory: citizen projects detected high C2*, while the present study found only 18% C2* and 36% G2-P15.
  • The text makes evident a dating discrepancy: C2*-ST TMRCA was 1544 years by STRs (CI 95% 1968–1120) but ~2600 years by SNPs, which the authors attribute to incomplete mapping of STR clusters and phylogenetic topology.

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Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1186/s12863-020-00897-5

Cites

22 of 22 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

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Figures

Fig. 1 Distribution of the Senior Zhuz and the studied clans (modified from [1]). *Note: Shanyshkly and Shaksham are very small populations and dispersed settled, that is why the area is not highlighted in color
Fig. 1 Distribution of the Senior Zhuz and the studied clans (modified from [1]). *Note: Shanyshkly and Shaksham are very small populations and dispersed settled, that is why the area is not highlighted in colorCC BY · PubMed Central
Fig. 2 Frequencies of Y-chromosomal haplogroups in Kazakh clans of the Senior Zhuz
Fig. 2 Frequencies of Y-chromosomal haplogroups in Kazakh clans of the Senior ZhuzCC BY · PubMed Central
Fig. 3 Y-STR network of Kazakh - C2*- ST based on 15 Y-STRs
Fig. 3 Y-STR network of Kazakh - C2*- ST based on 15 Y-STRsCC BY · PubMed Central

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Citations

Cites

Research works printed but not linked: 7

  1. Sobakin A. Atameken atlas. Almaty: Brif Research Group; 1999. p. 1.
  2. Tiesenhausen VG. Collection of materials related to the history of the Golden Horde. Volume 2. Extracts from Persian works collected by Tizengauzen VG and edited by Romaskevich AA and Volin SL. Moscow-Leningdar: Publishing House of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR; 1941. p. 308.
  3. Massanov NE. Nomadic civilization of Kazakhs: the basics migratory habits of life of society. Almaty: Nurbolat Masanov Fund; 2011. p. 740.
  4. Tynyshpaev M. Materials on the history of Kyrgyz-kazakh people. Tashkent: Eastern branch of the Kyrgyz State Publishing; 1925. p. 77.
  5. Rashid Al-Din. Collection of histories. Volume 1. Book 1. Moscow-Leningrad: Publishing House of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR; 1952. p. 191.
  6. Irmukhanov BB. Uissun and Ethnogenesis of the Kazakh people. Almaty: Our World; 2006. p. 124.
  7. Sabitov Z, Baimukhanov N. The Niruns and the subclade С2а3-F4002 (the starcluster). Russ J Genet Geneal. 2014;6(2):1–9.

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Metadata

Authors
Zhabagin, M., Sabitov, Z., Tarlykov, P., Tazhigulova, I., Junissova, Z., Yerezhepov, D., Akilzhanov, R., Zholdybayeva, E., Wei, L.-H., Akilzhanova, A., Balanovsky, O., & Balanovska, E.
Affiliations
  • National Center for Biotechnology (KZ)
  • L. N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University (KZ)
  • Nazarbayev University (KZ)
  • Toraighyrov University (KZ)
  • Xiamen University (CN)
  • Russian Academy of Sciences (RU)
  • Research Centre for Medical Genetics (RU)
Corresponding author
Zhabagin, Maxat
Venue
BMC Genetics
Published
2020-10
Volume
21
Issue
S1
Pages
87-87
ISSN
1471-2156 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W3094601959
Cited by
21
References
23
Citations by year
2026: 2 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 1
FWCI
1.68
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • BMC Genetics (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Nazarbayev University Repository (Nazarbayev University) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • Nazarbayev University Repository (Nazarbayev University) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
  • Nazarbayev University Repository (Nazarbayev University) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-sa)
Funders
  • Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan (AP05134955, AP05130240)
  • Russian Ministry of Science and Higher Education
  • Russian Scientific Fund (17-14-01345)
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 › Arts and Humanities › History › Eurasian Exchange Networks
Keywords
haplotype phylogeny, citizen science
MeSH terms
Ethnicity, Gene Pool, Genetics, Population, Genotype, Haplotypes, Humans, Kazakhstan, Male, Mongolia, Phylogeny, Microsatellite Repeats, Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide, Chromosomes, Human, Y, Asian People

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