The Connection of the Genetic, Cultural and Geographic Landscapes of Transoxiana

Abstract

We have analyzed Y-chromosomal variation in populations from Transoxiana, a historical region covering the southwestern part of Central Asia. We studied 780 samples from 10 regional populations of Kazakhs, Uzbeks, Turkmens, Dungans, and Karakalpaks using 35 SNP and 17 STR markers. Analysis of haplogroup frequencies using multidimensional scaling and principal component plots, supported by an analysis of molecular variance, showed that the geographic landscape of Transoxiana, despite its distinctiveness and diversity (deserts, fertile river basins, foothills and plains) had no strong influence on the genetic landscape. The main factor structuring the gene pool was the mode of subsistence: settled agriculture or nomadic pastoralism. Investigation of STR-based clusters of haplotypes and their ages revealed that cultural and demic expansions of Transoxiana were not closely connected with each other. The Arab cultural expansion introduced Islam to the region but did not leave a significant mark on the pool of paternal lineages. The Mongol expansion, in contrast, had enormous demic success, but did not impact cultural elements like language and religion. The genealogy of Muslim missionaries within the settled agricultural communities of Transoxiana was based on spiritual succession passed from teacher to disciple. However, among Transoxianan nomads, spiritual and biological succession became merged.

A glimpse at the intricate mosaic of ethnicities from Mesopotamia: Paternal lineages of the Northern Iraqi Arabs, Kurds, Syriacs, Turkmens and Yazidis

“…Considering that J1 is thought to originate from a geographical zone that includes northeastern Syria, northern Iraq and eastern Turkey, from where it expanded to the rest of the Near East and North Africa, such high prevalence of J1 among Iraqi Arabs is indicative of their indigenous nature [ 45 ]. There are also a number of earlier investigations on the paternal lineages of various Turkmen populations [ 25 , 26 , 39 , 46 ]. However, a distinction should perhaps be made between the Turkic populations from Turkmenistan in Central Asia and elsewhere, such as in Northern Iraq and Northern Syria.…”

“…At least the Northern Iraqi Turkmen, although still Turkic and thus with historical links with Central Asia, have even closer links with the Turkic populations from Anatolia and/or Azerbaijan/Northwestern Iran. Earlier investigations on the Turkmen population in Afghanistan, Uzbekistan and Iran, suggested that haplogroup Q was the most prevalent accounting for 34%, 73% and 43%, in that order [ 25 , 26 , 39 ]. An earlier study from the Turkmenistan population per se also exists, albeit of relatively poor Y-SNP typing resolution, whereby the most prevalent haplogroups observed were P(xR1a), J and N(x3) with the frequencies of 52%, 24% and 10%, in that order [ 46 ].…”

“…Bootstrap values were calculated based on 10,000 replications. Along with the five novel Y-STR datasets from the current study, the following population datasets with equivalent loci coverages were included during analysis: Cyprus [Greek Cypriot] ( n = 344) [ 19 ]; Cyprus [Greek Cypriot II] ( n = 574) [ 20 ]; Iran [East Iranian] ( n = 200) and Iran [West Iranian] ( n = 124) [ 21 ]; West Asia [Armenian, Erzurum origin] ( n = 99), West Asia [Armenian, Hemsheni] ( n = 89), West Asia [Armenian, Krasnodar] ( n = 117), West Asia [Armenian, Adygei] ( n = 49), West Asia [Armenian, Don] ( n = 92) [ 22 ]; Greece [Greek] ( n = 214), Iraq [Iraqi] ( n = 124), Barcelona, Spain [Spanish] ( n = 78), Bohemia, Czechia [Czech] ( n = 72), Hungary [Hungarian] ( n = 143), Upper Bavaria, Germany (German) ( n = 200), Bosnia and Herzegovina [Bosnian] ( n = 100), Marche, Italy [Italian] ( n = 170), Sicily, Italy [Italian] ( n = 157), Central Poland [Polish] ( n = 102), Central England [English] ( n = 81), Lebanon [Lebanese] ( n = 505), Beijing, China [Han] ( n = 246), Ibadan, Nigeria [Yoruba] ( n = 81), Kinyawa, Kenya [Maasai] ( n = 100), Philippines [Filipino] ( n = 169), Southern India, India [Tamil] ( n = 126) and Tokyo, Japan [Japanese] ( n = 59) [ 23 ]; Iraq [Iraqi II] ( n = 400) [ 24 ]; Lebanon [Maronite] ( n = 196) [ 21 ]; Cyprus [Turkish Cypriot] ( n = 380) [ 13 ]; Afghanistan [Turkmen] ( n = 73) [ 25 ]; Uzbekistan [Turkmen] ( n = 83) [ 26 ]; Marmara Region, Turkey [Turkish] ( n = 385) [YHRD Accession No. : YA004119]; Cukurova, Turkey [Turk] ( n = 249) [ 27 ]; and Southeastern Anatolia, Turkey [Turkish] ( n = 86+64) [ 28 ] and [YHRD Accession No.…”

Type 2 diabetes mellitus: distribution of genetic markers in Kazakh population

“…There are three main directions of population genetic studies, including the study of autosomal markers, the study of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), and the study of Y chromosome polymorphism. The profiles of mtDNA and Y chromosome polymorphism in the Kazakh population are well characterized, 19 , 20 whereas data on autosomal markers are lacking. As a result, allele distribution is well studied in Caucasian populations but poorly understood in Central Asian populations.…”

Estimating the impact of the Mongol expansion upon the gene pool of Tuvans

“…For instance, in one of Buryat clans, namely Ekhirids, hg C2 frequency is 88 % (Y-base); in Kazakhs from different regions of Kazakhstan, total occurrence of hg C2 variants averages between 17 and 81 % (Abilev et al, 2012;Zhabagin et al, 2013Zhabagin et al, , 2014Zhabagin et al, , 2017 …”