Mitochondrial genome diversity at the Bering Strait area highlights prehistoric human migrations from Siberia to northern North America

Mitochondrial diversity of Iñupiat people from the Alaskan North Slope provides evidence for the origins of the Paleo‐ and Neo‐Eskimo peoples

“…Comparative data were obtained from studies published on mitochondrial HVRI from Greenlandic and Canadian Inuit (Saillard et al, 2000;Helgason et al, 2006), ancient Paleo-and Neo-Eskimos (Gilbert et al, 2008;Raghavan et al, 2014), ancient and contemporary Aleuts (Rubicz et al, 2003;Zlojutro et al, 2006;Rubicz et al, 2010;Raff et al, 2010), and Chuckchi and Siberian Eskimo sequences (Starikovskaya et al, 1998;Derenko et al, 2007;Tam et al, 2007;Achilli et al, 2008;Gilbert et al, 2008;Derenko et al, 2010;Dryomov et al, in press). We did not include the data of Shields et al (1993), because of suspected sequencing errors (see Forster et al, 1996;Saillard et al, 2000).…”

“…Similarly, the recent coalescence of the A2 "root" haplogroup suggests that it may be a sister clade to A2a and A2b, rather than basal to both haplogroups. Due to these limitations, we therefore regard these inferences as preliminary and note that further testing of these hypotheses will require more extensive data from complete mitogenomes (see, for example, Dryomov et al, 2015 coalescence estimations for these haplogroups in Siberian populations) as well as more complex modeling methods. Due to these limitations, we therefore regard these inferences as preliminary and note that further testing of these hypotheses will require more extensive data from complete mitogenomes (see, for example, Dryomov et al, 2015 coalescence estimations for these haplogroups in Siberian populations) as well as more complex modeling methods.…”

“…These genetic findings are consistent with the archaeological observations of cultural discontinuity between Paleo-and Neo-Eskimos (Dumond, 1984). The Thule migration is currently understood to be largely a population replacement event (Starikovskaya et al, 1998;Saillard et al, 2000;Gilbert et al, 2008;Rasmussen et al, 2010;Raghavan et al, 2014); although, some authors have seen evidence for limited Paleo-Eskimo admixture in Greenland (Helgason et al, 2006), and in Sireniki Eskimo gene pools (Dryomov et al, 2015). However, this replacement hypothesis needs further testing in other regions of the North American Arctic.…”

“…These Arcticspecific mitochondrial haplogroups are comparatively limited in diversity with respect to those of other Native American groups and have more recent clade coalescent dates. Subsequent admixture between Chukchi, Siberian Yupik, Koryaks, Yukaghirs, and population movements and relocation due to the Russian colonization of this region added further complexity to the genetic structure of circum-Arctic populations (Ackerman, 1984;Hughes, 1984;Dryomov et al, 2015). Subsequent admixture between Chukchi, Siberian Yupik, Koryaks, Yukaghirs, and population movements and relocation due to the Russian colonization of this region added further complexity to the genetic structure of circum-Arctic populations (Ackerman, 1984;Hughes, 1984;Dryomov et al, 2015).…”

“…They are thought to have originated via more recent Holocene expansion from Beringia (Saillard et al, 2000), with a westward back-migration bringing them to native northeastern Siberian Chukotkans (Tamm et al, 2007;Volodko et al, 2008). Subsequent admixture between Chukchi, Siberian Yupik, Koryaks, Yukaghirs, and population movements and relocation due to the Russian colonization of this region added further complexity to the genetic structure of circum-Arctic populations (Ackerman, 1984;Hughes, 1984;Dryomov et al, 2015).…”