The Genetic Map of Europe: strong differences between Northern and Southern Europeans

[F.W. Braun]

Biologists have constructed a genetic map of Europe showing the degree of relatedness between its various populations.

All the populations are quite similar, but the differences are sufficient that it should be possible to devise a forensic test to tell which country in Europe an individual probably comes from [but but but...race does not exist!], said Manfred Kayser, a geneticist at the Erasmus University Medical Center in the Netherlands.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/13/sc...nt&oref=slogin

[F.W. Braun]

The Genetic Map of Europe (go to site to see maps).

Biologists have constructed a genetic map of Europe showing the
degree of relatedness between its various populations.
By NICHOLAS WADE
Published: August 13, 2008

> All the populations are quite similar, but the differences are
sufficient that it should be possible to devise a forensic test to
tell which country in Europe an individual probably comes from, said
Manfred Kayser, a geneticist at the Erasmus University Medical
Center in the Netherlands.

The map shows, at right, the location in Europe where each of the
sampled populations live and, at left, the genetic relationship
between these 23 populations. The map was constructed by Dr. Kayser,
Dr. Oscar Lao and others, and appears in an article in Current
Biology published on line on August 7.

The genetic map of Europe bears a clear structural similarity to the
geographic map. The major genetic differences are between
populations of the north and south (the vertical axis of the map
shows north-south differences, the horizontal axis those of east-
west). The area assigned to each population reflects the amount of
genetic variation in it.

Europe has been colonized three times in the distant past, always
from the south. Some 45,000 years ago the first modern humans
entered Europe from the south. The glaciers returned around 20,000
years ago and the second colonization occurred about 17,000 years
ago by people returning from southern refuges. The third invasion
was that of farmers bringing the new agricultural technology from
the Near East around 10,000 years ago.

The pattern of genetic differences among present day Europeans
probably reflects the impact of these three ancient migrations, Dr.
Kayser said.

The map also identifies the existence of two genetic barriers within
Europe. One is between the Finns (light blue, upper right) and other
Europeans. It arose because the Finnish population was at one time
very small and then expanded, bearing the atypical genetics of its
few founders.

The other is between Italians (yellow, bottom center) and the rest.
This may reflect the role of the Alps in impeding free flow of
people between Italy and the rest of Europe.

Data for the map were generated by gene chips programmed to test and
analyze 500,000 sites of common variation on the human genome,
although only the 300,000 most reliable sites were used for the map.
Dr. Kayser's team tested almost 2,500 people and analyzed the data
by correlating the genetic variations in all the subjects. The
genetic map is based on the two strongest of these sets of
correlations.

The gene chips require large amounts of DNA, more than is available
in most forensic samples. Dr. Kayser hopes to identify the sites on
the human genome which are most diagnostic for European origin.
These sites, if reasonably few in number, could be tested for in
hair and blood samples, Dr. Kayser said.

Genomic sites that carry the strongest signal of variation among
populations may be those influenced by evolutionary change, Dr.
Kayser said. Of the 100 strongest sites, 17 are found in the region
of the genome that confers lactose tolerance, an adaptation that
arose among a cattle herding culture in northern Europe some 5,000
years ago. Most people switch off the lactose digesting gene after
weaning, but the cattle herders evidently gained a great survival
advantage by keeping the gene switched on through adulthood.

[8Man]

Human geography is mapped in the genes

The genes of a European person can be enough to pinpoint their ancestry down to their home country, claim two new studies.

By reading single-letter DNA differences in the genomes of thousands of Europeans, researchers can tell a Finn from a Dane and a German from a Brit. In fact a visual genetic map mirrors the geopolitical map of the continent, right down to Italy's boot.

"It tells us that geography matters," says John Novembre, a population geneticist at the University of California, Los Angeles, who led one of the studies. Despite language, immigration and intermarriage, genetic differences between Europeans are almost entirely related to where they were born.

When both teams plotted thousands of genomes on a single graph along with their country of origin, a striking map of Europe emerged. Spanish and Portuguese genomes clustered "south-west" of French genomes, while Italian genomes jutted "south-east" of Swiss.

The map was so accurate that when Novembre's team placed a geopolitical map over their genetic "map", half of the genomes landed within 310 kilometres of their country of origin, while 90% fell within 700 km.

Both teams found that southern Europeans boast more overall genetic diversity than Scandinavians, British and Irish.

Ref: Human geography is mapped in the genes

[RickHolland]

And Finns diverge from other europeans because they are mixed with Lapps and Eskimos.

[Krystian Kowalczyk]

Originally Posted by RickHolland

And Finns diverge from other europeans because they are mixed with Lapps and Eskimos.

It's more likely that unmixed Uralics, like the Finns (as opposed to Hungarians, who because they were located in Central Europe mixed with Aryans), are not exactly like Aryans, but rather something intermediate between west Eurasian humans and east Eurasian humans.

If you look at other Uralic groups like Nenets and Khanty, this hypothesis looks even stronger. In addition, the so-called "Asiatic" traits of Russians probably stem instead from some historical mixing with Uralic peoples.

[psychologicalshock]

Uralic groups all show that they are partially Caucasian, it's likely Finns that mixed with them in ancient times not vice versa. At any rate their population isn't significant enough to describe the difference, my explanation is just that Finns were in Europe before everyone else, that's what I think. You'll notice that there is no N haplotype in any Asian countries, this is likely because N is Caucasian, I really don't believe that Finns are Asian even though they tend to act odd. If N was an Asian group then it wouldn't make sense for the vast majority of Finns to be blond while the vast majority of them were all part Asian. Also it has been determined that the most ancient strain of N is in Finland not vice versa.

[Krystian Kowalczyk]

Originally Posted by psychologicalshock

Uralic groups all show that they are partially Caucasian, it's likely Finns that mixed with them in ancient times not vice versa. At any rate their population isn't significant enough to describe the difference, my explanation is just that Finns were in Europe before everyone else, that's what I think. You'll notice that there is no N haplotype in any Asian countries, this is likely because N is Caucasian, I really don't believe that Finns are Asian even though they tend to act odd. If N was an Asian group then it wouldn't make sense for the vast majority of Finns to be blond while the vast majority of them were all part Asian. Also it has been determined that the most ancient strain of N is in Finland not vice versa.

Perhaps there is credibility to the Indo-Uralic hypothesis then. Particularly wrt the part about N haplotype. Finns and other Uralics probably lived in Europe prior to the migrations of the Aryans if this is the case.

[John White2]

strong differences between Northern and Southern Europeans

]

Known in Judeo-Christianity as the "Protestants" and the "Catholics".

[T.Garrett]

Wow, I missed this thread back in 2008 ...a 'scientific' study that tells us all Euros are basically family ...I never would have thought

You guys never cease to amaze me.

[RickHolland]

Some interesting papers about Autosomal DNA testing found on DNA Tribes.

Genetic Affiliations of Individuals within World Regions

http://www.dnatribes.com/sample-resu...affinities.pdf


Genetic Relationships in Southern Europe

http://www.dnatribes.com/dnatribes-d...2009-03-28.pdf


Genetic Evidence of Indo-Europeans and Substrates in the West

http://www.dnatribes.com/dnatribes-d...2009-07-29.pdf


Genetic Evidence of Indo-Europeans and Substrates in the West (Part Two)

http://www.dnatribes.com/dnatribes-d...2009-08-29.pdf


Who are the Americans?

http://www.dnatribes.com/dnatribes-d...2008-08-29.pdf


Genetic Relationships in Northern Europe

http://www.dnatribes.com/dnatribes-d...2008-11-28.pdf


Patterns of Gene Flow through the Inland Silk Routes

http://www.dnatribes.com/dnatribes-d...2008-12-26.pdf


Patterns of Gene Flow through the Coastal Silk Routes

http://www.dnatribes.com/dnatribes-d...2009-01-31.pdf


Genetic Relationships in Africa

http://www.dnatribes.com/dnatribes-d...2009-02-28.pdf



Genetic Relationships along the Pacific Rim of Asia

http://www.dnatribes.com/dnatribes-d...2009-04-30.pdf


Genetic Relationships among South American Indians

http://www.dnatribes.com/dnatribes-d...2009-05-30.pdf


Genetic Relationships in Mesoamerica

http://www.dnatribes.com/dnatribes-d...2009-06-27.pdf


Generals of the Steppes: Basic Genetic Contributions in Tungusic, Mongolic, and Turkic Populations

http://dnatribes.com/dnatribes-digest-2009-12-29.pdf

Siberia: Basic Genetic Contributions in the European and Siberian Taiga

http://www.dnatribes.com/dnatribes-d...2009-11-30.pdf

Sages and Outlaws: Basic Genetic Contributions near the Hindu Kush

http://www.dnatribes.com/dnatribes-d...2009-10-31.pdf