Research Article

Post-last glacial maximum expansion from Iberia to North Africa revealed by fine characterization of mtDNA H haplogroup in Tunisia

  1. Lotfi Cherni1,
  2. Verónica Fernandes2,
  3. Joana B. Pereira2,
  4. Marta D. Costa2,
  5. Ana Goios2,3,
  6. Sabeh Frigi1,
  7. Besma Yacoubi-Loueslati1,
  8. Mohamed Ben Amor1,
  9. Abdelhakim Slama4,
  10. António Amorim2,3,
  11. Amel Ben Ammar El Gaaied1,
  12. Luísa Pereira2,5,*

Article first published online: 17 DEC 2008

DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.20979

Issue

American Journal of Physical Anthropology

American Journal of Physical Anthropology

Volume 139, Issue 2, pages 253–260, June 2009

Additional Information

How to Cite

Cherni, L., Fernandes, V., Pereira, J. B., Costa, M. D., Goios, A., Frigi, S., Yacoubi-Loueslati, B., Amor, M. B., Slama, A., Amorim, A., El Gaaied, A. B. A. and Pereira, L. (2009), Post-last glacial maximum expansion from Iberia to North Africa revealed by fine characterization of mtDNA H haplogroup in Tunisia. American Journal of Physical Anthropology, 139: 253–260. doi: 10.1002/ajpa.20979

Author Information

  1. 1

    Laboratory of Genetics Immunology and Human Pathology, Faculty of Sciences of Tunis, Tunisia

  2. 2

    Instituto de Patologia e Imunologia Molecular da Universidade do Porto (IPATIMUP), Porto, Portugal

  3. 3

    Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal

  4. 4

    Institut Nationale de Patrimoine, Tunis, Tunisia

  5. 5

    Medical Faculty, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal

*IPATIMUP, R. Dr. Roberto Frias s/n, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 7 MAY 2009
  2. Article first published online: 17 DEC 2008
  3. Manuscript Accepted: 22 OCT 2008
  4. Manuscript Received: 14 AUG 2008

Funded by

  • Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia. Grant Numbers: POCTI/ANT/45139/2002, PTDC/ANT/66275/2006, BI PTDC/ANT/66275/2006, SFRH/BD/16518/2004
  • IPATIMUP (Programa Operacional Ciência)
  • Tecnologia e Inovação (POCTI)
  • Quadro Comunitário de Apoio III
  • GRICES (Gabinete de Relações Internacionais da Ciência e do Ensino Superior)
  • The Tunisian Ministry of Higher Education, Scientific Research and Technology

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Keywords:

  • mtDNA;
  • haplogroup H;
  • Tunisia;
  • Andalusians

Abstract

The first large-scale fine characterization of Tunisian H lineages clarifies that the post-Last glacial maximum expansion originating in Iberia not only led to the resettlement of Europe but also of North Africa. We found that 46% of 81 Tunisian H lineages subscreened for 1,580 bp in mtDNA coding region were affiliated with H1 and H3 subhaplogroups, which are known to have originated in Iberia. Although no signs of local expansion were detected, which would allow a clear dating of their introduction, the younger and less diverse Tunisian H1 and H3 lineages indicate Iberia as the radiating centre. Major contributions from historical migrations to this Iberian genetic imprint in Tunisia were ruled out by the mtDNA gene pool similarity between Berber/Arab/cosmopolitan samples and some “Andalusian” communities, settled by the descendents of the “Moors” who once lived in Iberia for 10 centuries (between 8th and 17th centuries), before being expelled to Tunisia. Am J Phys Anthropol, 2009. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

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