Dataset Information

Genetic substructure and complex demographic history of South African Bantu speakers.

ABSTRACT: South Eastern Bantu-speaking (SEB) groups constitute more than 80% of the population in South Africa. Despite clear linguistic and geographic diversity, the genetic differences between these groups have not been systematically investigated. Based on genome-wide data of over 5000 individuals, representing eight major SEB groups, we provide strong evidence for fine-scale population structure that broadly aligns with geographic distribution and is also congruent with linguistic phylogeny (separation of Nguni, Sotho-Tswana and Tsonga speakers). Although differential Khoe-San admixture plays a key role, the structure persists after Khoe-San ancestry-masking. The timing of admixture, levels of sex-biased gene flow and population size dynamics also highlight differences in the demographic histories of individual groups. The comparisons with five Iron Age farmer genomes further support genetic continuity over ~400 years in certain regions of the country. Simulated trait genome-wide association studies further show that the observed population structure could have major implications for biomedical genomics research in South Africa.

SUBMITTER: Sengupta D

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8027885 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Genetic substructure and complex demographic history of South African Bantu speakers.

Sengupta Dhriti D Choudhury Ananyo A Fortes-Lima Cesar C Fortes-Lima Cesar C Aron Shaun S Whitelaw Gavin G Bostoen Koen K Gunnink Hilde H Chousou-Polydouri Natalia N Delius Peter P Tollman Stephen S Gómez-Olivé F Xavier FX Norris Shane S Mashinya Felistas F Alberts Marianne M Hazelhurst Scott S Schlebusch Carina M CM Ramsay Michèle M

Nature communications 20210407 1

South Eastern Bantu-speaking (SEB) groups constitute more than 80% of the population in South Africa. Despite clear linguistic and geographic diversity, the genetic differences between these groups have not been systematically investigated. Based on genome-wide data of over 5000 individuals, representing eight major SEB groups, we provide strong evidence for fine-scale population structure that broadly aligns with geographic distribution and is also congruent with linguistic phylogeny (separatio ...[more]

PMID: 33828095

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Dataset Information

Genetic substructure and complex demographic history of South African Bantu speakers.

Publications

Genetic substructure and complex demographic history of South African Bantu speakers.

Similar Datasets

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