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Papers by Denis Misiko Mukhongo

Journal of livestock science, Jul 20, 2014

Knowledge of the genetic relationship and admixture among neighbouring livestock populations is c... more Knowledge of the genetic relationship and admixture among neighbouring livestock populations is crucial for conservation efforts. This study analyzed the molecular diversity of fifteen sheep populations (both indigenous and exotic) in Kenya. Blood samples from 582 individuals were genotyped across the 15 microsatellite markers. The expected heterozygosity and Mean number of alleles ranged from 0.596 to 0.807 and 6.67 to 9.33 respectively. Most populations showed significant heterozygote deficiency due to a moderately high level of inbreeding, f IS (0.109). Population genetic differentiation was reasonably high (θ ST = 0.101). Four population clusters majorly based on geographical proximity and interbreeding among populations were detected. These results indicate levels of admixture warranting institution of conservation measures. However, a more encompassing study including all regions in the country as well as more microsatellite markers is necessary to comprehensively understand the dynamics of genetic introgression.

Turkana Basin Institute, PO box 24467-00502, Nairobi, Kenya. National Museums of Kenya, Jomo Keny... more Turkana Basin Institute, PO box 24467-00502, Nairobi, Kenya. National Museums of Kenya, Jomo Kenyatta House, PO box 152-30500, Lodwar, Kenya. Departamento de Prehistoria y Arqueologia, UNED, c/ Paseo Senda del Rey, 7, 28040 Madrid, Spain. National Museums of Kenya, PO box 40658-00100, Nairobi, Kenya. Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, PO box 62000-00200, Nairobi, Kenya. Research School of Earth Sciences, The Australian National University, Building 142, Mills Road, Acton, Australian Capital Territory 2601, Australia.

The knowledge of the genetic relationship and admixture among neighbouring populations is crucial... more The knowledge of the genetic relationship and admixture among neighbouring populations is crucial for conservation efforts. The aim of this study was to analyze the genetic diversity and population structure of the indigenous sheep in Kenya using 15 microsatellite markers. Blood samples from 582 individuals were obtained and genotyped across 15 microsatellite markers. Values of expected heterozygosity and Mean number of alleles ranged from 0.596 to 0.807 and 6.67 to 9.33 respectively depending on the population. Most of the investigated populations showed a significant heterozygote deficiency caused by a moderately high level of inbreeding indicated by f IS (0.109). The observed genetic diversity was found to be high in the nucleus flocks as opposed to those kept by the famers. Genetic differentiation between breeds was moderate ( θ ST = 0.101) but significant. The genetic distances obtained reflect the historical knowledge of these breeds and some patterns of ancestral and recent g...

Abstracts of Postgraduate Thesis, Oct 6, 2011

American Journal of Plant Biology

Abstracts of Postgraduate Thesis, May 6, 2012

Abstracts of Postgraduate Thesis, May 6, 2012

Knowledge of the genetic relationship and admixture among neighbouring livestock populations is c... more Knowledge of the genetic relationship and admixture among neighbouring livestock populations is crucial for conservation efforts. This study analyzed the molecular diversity of fifteen sheep populations (both indigenous and exotic) in Kenya. Blood samples from 582 individuals were genotyped across the 15 microsatellite markers. The expected heterozygosity and Mean number of alleles ranged from 0.596 to 0.807 and 6.67 to 9.33 respectively. Most populations showed significant heterozygote deficiency due to a moderately high level of inbreeding, f IS (0.109). Population genetic differentiation was reasonably high (θ ST = 0.101). Four population clusters majorly based on geographical proximity and interbreeding among populations were detected. These results indicate levels of admixture warranting institution of conservation measures. However, a more encompassing study including all regions in the country as well as more microsatellite markers is necessary to comprehensively understand the dynamics of genetic introgression.

ABSTRACTS OF POSTGRADUATE THESIS, Jan 1, 2011

The teosintes, the closest wild relatives of maize, are important resources for the study of maiz... more The teosintes, the closest wild relatives of maize, are important resources for the study of maize genetics and evolution and for plant breeding. We genotyped 237 individual teosinte plants for 93 microsatellites. Phylogenetic relationships among species and subspecific taxa were largely consistent with prior analyses for other types of molecular markers. Plants of all species formed monophyletic clades, although relationships among species were not fully resolved. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that the Mexican annual teosintes divide into two clusters that largely correspond to the previously defined subspecies, Z. mays ssp. parviglumis and ssp. mexicana, although there are a few samples that represent either evolutionary intermediates or hybrids between these two subspecies. The Mexican annual teosintes show genetic substructuring along geographic lines. Hybridization or introgression between some teosintes and maize occurs at a low level and appears most common with Z. mays ssp. mexicana. Phylogeographic and phylogenetic analyses of the Mexican annual teosintes indicated that ssp. parviglumis diversified in the eastern part of its distribution and spread from east to west and that ssp. mexicana diversified in the Central Plateau of Mexico and spread along multiple paths to the north and east. We defined core sets of collections of Z. mays ssp. mexicana and ssp. parviglumis that attempt to capture the maximum number of microsatellite alleles for given sample sizes. 1990b). The four species of Z. mays have been placed 3 Present address: Fukui Prefectural University, Matsuoka-cho, Yos-into two sections: section Zea, which contains only Z. hida-gun, Fukui 910-1195, Japan. mays, and section Luxuriantes, which is composed of the 4

Papers Human Evolution & Prehistory by Denis Misiko Mukhongo

by Marta Mirazon Lahr, Frances Rivera, Ronika K. Power, Federica Crivellaro, José-Manuel Maíllo-Fernández, Christopher Kiarie, Julie Lawrence, E. Mbua, Anne Muigai, Denis Misiko Mukhongo, Ann Van Baelen, Alex Wilshaw, and Robert Foley

The nature of inter-group relations among prehistoric hunter-gatherers remains disputed, with arg... more The nature of inter-group relations among prehistoric hunter-gatherers remains disputed, with arguments in favour and against the existence of warfare before the development of sedentary societies. Here we report on a case of inter-group violence towards a group of hunter-gatherers from Nataruk, west of Lake Turkana, which during the late Pleistocene/early Holocene period extended about 30 km beyond its present-day shore. Ten of the twelve articulated skeletons found at Nataruk show evidence of having died violently at the edge of a lagoon, into which some of the bodies fell. The remains from Nataruk are unique, preserved by the particular conditions of the lagoon with no evidence of deliberate burial. They offer a rare glimpse into the life and death of past foraging people, and evidence that warfare was part of the repertoire of inter-group
relations among prehistoric hunter-gatherers.

African Papers by Denis Misiko Mukhongo

The nature of inter-group relations among prehistoric hunter-gatherers remains disputed, with arg... more The nature of inter-group relations among prehistoric hunter-gatherers remains disputed, with arguments in favour and against the existence of warfare before the development of sedentary societies. Here we report on a case of inter-group violence towards a group of hunter-gatherers from Nataruk, west of Lake Turkana, which during the late Pleistocene/early Holocene period extended about 30 km beyond its present-day shore. Ten of the twelve articulated skeletons found at Nataruk show evidence of having died violently at the edge of a lagoon, into which some of the bodies fell. The remains from Nataruk are unique, preserved by the particular conditions of the lagoon with no evidence of deliberate burial. They offer a rare glimpse into the life and death of past foraging people, and evidence that warfare was part of the repertoire of inter-group relations among prehistoric hunter-gatherers.

Journal of livestock science, Jul 20, 2014

Knowledge of the genetic relationship and admixture among neighbouring livestock populations is c... more Knowledge of the genetic relationship and admixture among neighbouring livestock populations is crucial for conservation efforts. This study analyzed the molecular diversity of fifteen sheep populations (both indigenous and exotic) in Kenya. Blood samples from 582 individuals were genotyped across the 15 microsatellite markers. The expected heterozygosity and Mean number of alleles ranged from 0.596 to 0.807 and 6.67 to 9.33 respectively. Most populations showed significant heterozygote deficiency due to a moderately high level of inbreeding, f IS (0.109). Population genetic differentiation was reasonably high (θ ST = 0.101). Four population clusters majorly based on geographical proximity and interbreeding among populations were detected. These results indicate levels of admixture warranting institution of conservation measures. However, a more encompassing study including all regions in the country as well as more microsatellite markers is necessary to comprehensively understand the dynamics of genetic introgression.

Turkana Basin Institute, PO box 24467-00502, Nairobi, Kenya. National Museums of Kenya, Jomo Keny... more Turkana Basin Institute, PO box 24467-00502, Nairobi, Kenya. National Museums of Kenya, Jomo Kenyatta House, PO box 152-30500, Lodwar, Kenya. Departamento de Prehistoria y Arqueologia, UNED, c/ Paseo Senda del Rey, 7, 28040 Madrid, Spain. National Museums of Kenya, PO box 40658-00100, Nairobi, Kenya. Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, PO box 62000-00200, Nairobi, Kenya. Research School of Earth Sciences, The Australian National University, Building 142, Mills Road, Acton, Australian Capital Territory 2601, Australia.

The knowledge of the genetic relationship and admixture among neighbouring populations is crucial... more The knowledge of the genetic relationship and admixture among neighbouring populations is crucial for conservation efforts. The aim of this study was to analyze the genetic diversity and population structure of the indigenous sheep in Kenya using 15 microsatellite markers. Blood samples from 582 individuals were obtained and genotyped across 15 microsatellite markers. Values of expected heterozygosity and Mean number of alleles ranged from 0.596 to 0.807 and 6.67 to 9.33 respectively depending on the population. Most of the investigated populations showed a significant heterozygote deficiency caused by a moderately high level of inbreeding indicated by f IS (0.109). The observed genetic diversity was found to be high in the nucleus flocks as opposed to those kept by the famers. Genetic differentiation between breeds was moderate ( θ ST = 0.101) but significant. The genetic distances obtained reflect the historical knowledge of these breeds and some patterns of ancestral and recent g...

Abstracts of Postgraduate Thesis, Oct 6, 2011

American Journal of Plant Biology

Abstracts of Postgraduate Thesis, May 6, 2012

Abstracts of Postgraduate Thesis, May 6, 2012

Knowledge of the genetic relationship and admixture among neighbouring livestock populations is c... more Knowledge of the genetic relationship and admixture among neighbouring livestock populations is crucial for conservation efforts. This study analyzed the molecular diversity of fifteen sheep populations (both indigenous and exotic) in Kenya. Blood samples from 582 individuals were genotyped across the 15 microsatellite markers. The expected heterozygosity and Mean number of alleles ranged from 0.596 to 0.807 and 6.67 to 9.33 respectively. Most populations showed significant heterozygote deficiency due to a moderately high level of inbreeding, f IS (0.109). Population genetic differentiation was reasonably high (θ ST = 0.101). Four population clusters majorly based on geographical proximity and interbreeding among populations were detected. These results indicate levels of admixture warranting institution of conservation measures. However, a more encompassing study including all regions in the country as well as more microsatellite markers is necessary to comprehensively understand the dynamics of genetic introgression.

ABSTRACTS OF POSTGRADUATE THESIS, Jan 1, 2011

The teosintes, the closest wild relatives of maize, are important resources for the study of maiz... more The teosintes, the closest wild relatives of maize, are important resources for the study of maize genetics and evolution and for plant breeding. We genotyped 237 individual teosinte plants for 93 microsatellites. Phylogenetic relationships among species and subspecific taxa were largely consistent with prior analyses for other types of molecular markers. Plants of all species formed monophyletic clades, although relationships among species were not fully resolved. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that the Mexican annual teosintes divide into two clusters that largely correspond to the previously defined subspecies, Z. mays ssp. parviglumis and ssp. mexicana, although there are a few samples that represent either evolutionary intermediates or hybrids between these two subspecies. The Mexican annual teosintes show genetic substructuring along geographic lines. Hybridization or introgression between some teosintes and maize occurs at a low level and appears most common with Z. mays ssp. mexicana. Phylogeographic and phylogenetic analyses of the Mexican annual teosintes indicated that ssp. parviglumis diversified in the eastern part of its distribution and spread from east to west and that ssp. mexicana diversified in the Central Plateau of Mexico and spread along multiple paths to the north and east. We defined core sets of collections of Z. mays ssp. mexicana and ssp. parviglumis that attempt to capture the maximum number of microsatellite alleles for given sample sizes. 1990b). The four species of Z. mays have been placed 3 Present address: Fukui Prefectural University, Matsuoka-cho, Yos-into two sections: section Zea, which contains only Z. hida-gun, Fukui 910-1195, Japan. mays, and section Luxuriantes, which is composed of the 4

by Marta Mirazon Lahr, Frances Rivera, Ronika K. Power, Federica Crivellaro, José-Manuel Maíllo-Fernández, Christopher Kiarie, Julie Lawrence, E. Mbua, Anne Muigai, Denis Misiko Mukhongo, Ann Van Baelen, Alex Wilshaw, and Robert Foley

The nature of inter-group relations among prehistoric hunter-gatherers remains disputed, with arg... more The nature of inter-group relations among prehistoric hunter-gatherers remains disputed, with arguments in favour and against the existence of warfare before the development of sedentary societies. Here we report on a case of inter-group violence towards a group of hunter-gatherers from Nataruk, west of Lake Turkana, which during the late Pleistocene/early Holocene period extended about 30 km beyond its present-day shore. Ten of the twelve articulated skeletons found at Nataruk show evidence of having died violently at the edge of a lagoon, into which some of the bodies fell. The remains from Nataruk are unique, preserved by the particular conditions of the lagoon with no evidence of deliberate burial. They offer a rare glimpse into the life and death of past foraging people, and evidence that warfare was part of the repertoire of inter-group
relations among prehistoric hunter-gatherers.

The nature of inter-group relations among prehistoric hunter-gatherers remains disputed, with arg... more The nature of inter-group relations among prehistoric hunter-gatherers remains disputed, with arguments in favour and against the existence of warfare before the development of sedentary societies. Here we report on a case of inter-group violence towards a group of hunter-gatherers from Nataruk, west of Lake Turkana, which during the late Pleistocene/early Holocene period extended about 30 km beyond its present-day shore. Ten of the twelve articulated skeletons found at Nataruk show evidence of having died violently at the edge of a lagoon, into which some of the bodies fell. The remains from Nataruk are unique, preserved by the particular conditions of the lagoon with no evidence of deliberate burial. They offer a rare glimpse into the life and death of past foraging people, and evidence that warfare was part of the repertoire of inter-group relations among prehistoric hunter-gatherers.