Ancient DNA from hunter-gatherer and farmer groups from Northern Spain supports a random dispersion model for the Neolithic expansion into Europe - PubMed (original) (raw)

Ancient DNA from hunter-gatherer and farmer groups from Northern Spain supports a random dispersion model for the Neolithic expansion into Europe

Montserrat Hervella et al. PLoS One. 2012.

Erratum in

Abstract

Background/principal findings: The phenomenon of Neolithisation refers to the transition of prehistoric populations from a hunter-gatherer to an agro-pastoralist lifestyle. Traditionally, the spread of an agro-pastoralist economy into Europe has been framed within a dichotomy based either on an acculturation phenomenon or on a demic diffusion. However, the nature and speed of this transition is a matter of continuing scientific debate in archaeology, anthropology, and human population genetics. In the present study, we have analyzed the mitochondrial DNA diversity in hunter-gatherers and first farmers from Northern Spain, in relation to the debate surrounding the phenomenon of Neolithisation in Europe.

Methodology/significance: Analysis of mitochondrial DNA was carried out on 54 individuals from Upper Paleolithic and Early Neolithic, which were recovered from nine archaeological sites from Northern Spain (Basque Country, Navarre and Cantabria). In addition, to take all necessary precautions to avoid contamination, different authentication criteria were applied in this study, including: DNA quantification, cloning, duplication (51% of the samples) and replication of the results (43% of the samples) by two independent laboratories. Statistical and multivariate analyses of the mitochondrial variability suggest that the genetic influence of Neolithisation did not spread uniformly throughout Europe, producing heterogeneous genetic consequences in different geographical regions, rejecting the traditional models that explain the Neolithisation in Europe.

Conclusion: The differences detected in the mitochondrial DNA lineages of Neolithic groups studied so far (including these ones of this study) suggest different genetic impact of Neolithic in Central Europe, Mediterranean Europe and the Cantabrian fringe. The genetic data obtained in this study provide support for a random dispersion model for Neolithic farmers. This random dispersion had a different impact on the various geographic regions, and thus contradicts the more simplistic total acculturation and replacement models proposed so far to explain Neolithisation.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Figure 1

Figure 1. Geographic location of the ancient human remains analysed in the present study.

All sites are located in the North of the Iberian Peninsula.

Figure 2

Figure 2. Multidimensional Scaling (MDS), considering the Fst genetic differences calculated according to the distribution of the mtDNA haplogroup frequencies of different populations; Chalcolithics in the Basque Country (purple), Neolithics (green), present-day Near East and northern Caucasus (orange) and Europeans (blue).

Abbreviations for populations. Hunter-gatherer groups: Scandinavia (HG_SCA), Central Europe (HG_CE) and Cantabrian fringe (HG_CANT: La Chora, La Pasiega, Aizpea and Erralla). Neolithic populations: Catalonia (NEO_CAT), Central Europe (NEO_CE), France (NEO_FR) and Navarre (Los Cascajos and Paternanbidea) (NEO_NAVARRE). Chalcolithic populations in the Basque Country: Longar, SJaPL and Pico Ramos. Present-day populations in Europe: Eastern Mediterranean (MdE), Central Mediterranean (MdC), Western Mediterranean (MdW), Northeast Europe (NE), North-Central Europe (NC), Northwest Europe (NW), Southeast Europe (SE), Scandinavia (SCA), Alps (ALP), Iberian Peninsula (Ib_Pen), and Cantabrian Fringe populations (Cant_F) (that includes the Basque Country)

Figure 3

Figure 3. Median Joining Network of European Paleolithic, Neolithic and Bronze Age sequences.

Data encompass mtDNA HVR-I (nps 15999-16399). Hunter-gatherer groups: Scandinavia (HG_SCA) in pink, Central Europe (HG_CE) in orange, and the Cantabrian fringe (HG_CANT: La Chora, La Pasiega, Aizpea and Erralla) in blue. Neolithic populations: Catalonia (NEO_CAT) in green, Central Europe (NEO_CE) in purple, Northwest France (NEO_FR_NW) in brown, South of France (NEO_FR) in white, and the Cantabrian fringe (NEO_Cant_F: Los Cascajos, Paternanbidea, Fuente Hoz and Marizulo) in light blue. Urtiaga (Bronze Age) in black.

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