[Distribution of the male lineages of Genghis Khan's descendants in northern Eurasian populations].

Data on the variation of 12 microsatellite loci of Y-chromosome haplogroup C3 were used to screen lineages included in the cluster of Genghis Khan's descendants in 18 northern Eurasian populations (Altaian Kazakhs, Altaians-Kizhi, Teleuts, Khakassians, Shorians, Tyvans, Todjins, Tofalars, Sojots, Buryats, Khamnigans, Evenks, Mongols, Kalmyks, Tajiks, Kurds, Persians, and Russians; the total sample size was 1437 people). The highest frequency of haplotypes from the cluster of the Genghis Khan's descendants was found in Mongols (34.8%). In Russia, this cluster was found in Altaian Kazakhs (8.3%), Altaians (3.4%), Buryats (2.3%), Tyvans (1.9%), and Kalmyks (1.7%).

Diversity of mitochondrial DNA lineages in South Siberia.

To investigate the origin and evolution of aboriginal populations of South Siberia, a comprehensive mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis (HVR1 sequencing combined with RFLP typing) of 480 individuals, representing seven Altaic-speaking populations (Altaians, Khakassians, Buryats, Sojots, Tuvinians, Todjins and Tofalars), was performed. Additionally, HVR2 sequence information was obtained for 110 Altaians, providing, in particular, some novel details of the East Asian mtDNA phylogeny. The total sample revealed 81% East Asian (M*, M7, M8, M9, M10, C, D, G, Z, A, B, F, N9a, Y) and 17% West Eurasian (H, U, J, T, I, N1a, X) matrilineal genetic contribution, but with regional differences within South Siberia. The highest influx of West Eurasian mtDNAs was observed in populations from the East Sayan and Altai regions (from 12.5% to 34.5%), whereas in populations from the Baikal region this contribution was markedly lower (less than 10%). The considerable substructure within South Siberian haplogroups B, F, and G, together with the high degree of haplogroup C and D diversity revealed there, allows us to conclude that South Siberians carry the genetic imprint of early-colonization phase of Eurasia. Statistical analyses revealed that South Siberian populations contain high levels of mtDNA diversity and high heterogeneity of mtDNA sequences among populations (Fst = 5.05%) that might be due to geography but not due to language and anthropological features.

Mitochondrial DNA variation in two South Siberian Aboriginal populations: implications for the genetic history of North Asia.

The mtDNAs of 76 individuals representing the aboriginal populations of South Siberia, the Tuvinians and Buryats, were subjected to restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis and control region hypervariable segment I (HVS-I) sequencing, and the resulting data were combined with those available for other Siberian and East Asian populations and subjected to statistical and phylogenetic analysis. This analysis showed that the majority of the Tuvinian and Buryat mtDNAs (94.4% and 92.5%, respectively) belong to haplogroups A, B, C, D, E, F, and M*, which are characteristic of Mongoloid populations. Furthermore, the Tuvinians and Buryats harbor four Asian- and Native American-specific haplogroups (A-D) with frequencies (72.2% and 55%, respectively) exceeding those reported previously for Mongolians, Chinese, and Tibetans. They represent, therefore, the populations that are most closely related to New World indigenous groups. Despite their geographical proximity, the Tuvinians and Buryats shared no HVS-I sequences in common, although individually they shared such sequences with a variety of other Siberian and East Asian populations. In addition, phylogenetic and principal component analyses data of mtDNA sequences show that the Tuvinians clustered more closely with Turkic-speaking Yakuts, whereas the Mongolic-speaking Buryats clustered closer to Korean populations. Furthermore, HVS-I sequences, comprising one-fourth of the Buryat lineages and characterized by the only C-to-T transition at nucleotide position 16223, were identified as different RFLP haplotypes (B, C, D, E, M*, and H). This finding appears to indicate the putative ancestral state of the 16223T HVS-I sequences to Mongoloid macrohaplogroup M, at least. Finally, the results of nucleotide diversity analysis in East Asian and Siberian populations suggest that Central and East Asia were the source areas from which the genetically heterogeneous Tuvinians and Buryats first emerged.