Mitochondrial DNA Variation in Mauritania and Mali and their Genetic Relationship to Other Western Africa Populations

Abstract

SummaryMitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) variation was analyzed in Mauritania and Mali, and compared to other West African samples covering the considerable geographic, ethnic and linguistic diversity of this region. The Mauritanian mtDNA profile shows that 55% of their lineages have a west Eurasian provenance, with the U6 cluster (17%) being the best represented. Only 6% of the sub-Saharan sequences belong to the L3A haplogroup a frequency similar to other Berber speaking groups but significantly different to the Arabic speaking North Africans. The historic Arab slave trade may be the main cause of this difference. Only one HV west Eurasian lineage has been detected in Mali but 40% of the sub-Saharan sequences belong to cluster L3A. The presence of L0a representatives demonstrates gene flow from eastern regions. Although both groups speak related dialects of the Mande branch, significant genetic differences exist between the Bambara and Malinke groups. The West African genetic variation is well structured by geography and language, but more detailed ethnolinguistic clustering suggest that geography is the main factor responsible for this differentiation.

Genetic portrait of Lisboa immigrant population from Cabo Verde with mitochondrial DNA analysis

“…Such results are in accordance with historical data in which Cabo Verde's mtDNA pool is linked primarily to the African slave's contribution (Willie 2001). Interestingly, the most frequent haplogroup, L2a1a in the present study has also been described in Mali, Mauritania populations (González et al 2006) and in southeast African populations, namely Mozambique (Pereira et al 2001), one of the colonies of the excolonial Portuguese empire. Further study may be needed as L2a1a may be linked to the expansion of population groups along the west coast of Africa to southeast Africa, like transatlantic slave trade between the 15th and 19th century.…”

“…Further study may be needed as L2a1a may be linked to the expansion of population groups along the west coast of Africa to southeast Africa, like transatlantic slave trade between the 15th and 19th century. Haplogroup L1b occurs frequently in West African populations (Rosa et al 2004;González et al 2006;Fendt et al 2012a), especially among Senegal's Mandenka and Wolof populations (Rando et al 1998;Jackson et al 2005). Haplogroups L2b and L2c occur frequently on Mauritania, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Ghana (Rando et al 1998;Jackson et al 2005;González et al 2006;Behar et al 2008;Fendt et al 2012a).…”

The maternal aborigine colonization of La Palma (Canary Islands)

“…For HVRI amplification of the external DNA extracts, primers HVI (L15840) and HVII (H16436) and conditions as detailed elsewhere 17 were used. In case this longfragment amplification failed, fragments of approximately half size were amplified using primer pairs HVI/H3R and L3F/HVII.…”

First Genetic Insight into Libyan Tuaregs: A Maternal Perspective

“…Nuclear genetic markers show a high genetic affinity between the Tuaregs and Eastern African populations from Ethiopia, and with the Beja in particular (Cavalli-Sforza et al, 1994). Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) data collected from the Tuaregs of Mali, Niger and Nigeria show a high affinity of the Tuaregs with western south Saharan populations (Watson et al, 1996;Rando et al, 1998, Gonzalez et al, 2006.…”

“…1) (Gaudio, 1993). Genetic data collected so far on the Tuaregs are quite scarce (Cavalli-Sforza et al, 1994;Watson et al, 1996;Gonzalez et al, 2006;Martinez-Labarga et al, 2007). Nuclear genetic markers show a high genetic affinity between the Tuaregs and Eastern African populations from Ethiopia, and with the Beja in particular (Cavalli-Sforza et al, 1994).…”