Investigating the origins of eastern Polynesians using genome-wide data from the Leeward Society Isles

• DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-20026-8
• Publication Date: 2018-01-23T16:33:07Z
• Authors: Georgi Hudjashov; Phillip Endicott; Helen Post; Nano Nagle; Simon Y. W. Ho; Daniel J. Lawson; Maere Reidla; Monika Karmin; Siiri Rootsi; Ene Metspalu; Lauri Saag; Richard Villems; Murray P. Cox; R. John Mitchell; Ralph L. Garcia-B...; Mait Metspalu; Rene J. Herrera
• Keywords: Polynesians; Ancient DNA

The debate concerning the origin of Polynesian speaking peoples has been recently reinvigorated by genetic evidence for secondary migrations to western Polynesia from New Guinea region during 2nd millennium BP. Using genome-wide autosomal data Leeward Society Islands, ancient cultural hub eastern Polynesia, we find that inhabitants' genomes also demonstrate this episode admixture, dating 1,700-1,200 This supports a late settlement chronology commencing ~1,000 BP, after internal differentiation society. More than 70% ancestry Islanders derives Island Southeast Asia with lowland populations Philippines as single largest potential source. These long-distance migrants into experienced additional admixture northern Melanesians prior Moreover, diversity mtDNA and Y chromosome lineages in Islands is consistent linguistic proceeding central outliers Solomon Islands. results stress complex demographic history challenge phylogenetic models evolution predicated on being settled Samoa.