Demographic history of Canary Islands male gene-pool: replacement of native lineages by European.

Full Abstract

BACKGROUND: The origin and prevalence of the prehispanic settlers of the Canary Islands has attracted great multidisciplinary interest. However, direct ancient DNA genetic studies on indigenous and historical 17th-18th century remains, using mitochondrial DNA as a female marker, have only recently been possible. In the present work, the analysis of Y-chromosome polymorphisms in the same samples, has shed light on the way the European colonization affected male and female Canary Island indigenous genetic pools, from the conquest to present-day times. RESULTS: Autochthonous (E-M81) and prominent (E-M78 and J-M267) Berber Y-chromosome lineages were detected in the indigenous remains, confirming a North West African origin for their ancestors which confirms previous mitochondrial DNA results. However, in contrast with their female lineages, which have survived in the present-day population since the conquest with only a moderate decline, the male indigenous lineages have dropped constantly being substituted by European lineages. Male and female sub-Saharan African genetic inputs were also detected in the Canary population, but their frequencies were higher during the 17th-18th centuries than today. CONCLUSION: The European colonization of the Canary Islands introduced a strong sex-biased change in the indigenous population in such a way that indigenous female lineages survived in the extant population in a significantly higher proportion than their male counterparts.

Author information

Author/s: Fregel, Rosa (R); Gomes, Verónica (V); Gusmão, Leonor (L); González, Ana M (AM); Cabrera, Vicente M (VM); Amorim, António (A); Larruga, Jose M (JM);

Affiliation: Department of Genetics, University of La Laguna, Avda. Astrofísico Fco, Sánchez, La Laguna, 38271 Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain. rfregel(-atsign-)gmail.com

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Journal: BMC evolutionary biology (BMC Evol Biol), published in England. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2009-; vol 9 (issue ) : pp 181

Dates: Created 2009/08/19; Completed 2009/09/23;

PMID: 19650893, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 9/23/2009, IMS Date: )

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