African mitochondrial haplogroup L7: a 100,000-year-old maternal human lineage discovered through reassessment and new sequencing.

ABSTRACT: Archaeological and genomic evidence suggest that modern Homo sapiens have roamed the planet for some 300-500 thousand years. In contrast, global human mitochondrial (mtDNA) diversity coalesces to one African female ancestor ("Mitochondrial Eve") some 145 thousand years ago, owing to the ¼ gene pool size of our matrilineally inherited haploid genome. Therefore, most of human prehistory was spent in Africa where early ancestors of Southern African Khoisan and Central African rainforest hunter-gatherers (RFHGs) segregated into smaller groups. Their subdivisions followed climatic oscillations, new modes of subsistence, local adaptations, and cultural-linguistic differences, all prior to their exodus out of Africa. Seven African mtDNA haplogroups (L0-L6) traditionally captured this ancient stru

SUBMITTER: Maier PA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9232647 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature