A substantial prehistoric European ancestry amongst Ashkenazi maternal lineages

• DOI: 10.1038/ncomms3543
• Publication Date: 2013-10-08T15:05:40Z
• Authors: Marta D. Costa; Joana B. Pereira; Maria Pala; Verónica Fernandes; Anna Olivieri; Alessandro Achilli; Ugo A. Perego; Sergei Rychkov; Oksana Naumova; Jiři Hatina; Scott R. Woodward; Ken Khong Eng; Vincent Macaulay; Martin Carr; Pedro Soares; Luísa Pereira; Martin B. Richards
• Keywords: Founder effect; Ancient DNA

Abstract The origins of Ashkenazi Jews remain highly controversial. Like Judaism, mitochondrial DNA is passed along the maternal line. Its variation in Ashkenazim distinctive, with four major and numerous minor founders. However, due to their rarity general population, these founders have been difficult trace a source. Here we show that all founders, ~40% mtDNA variation, ancestry prehistoric Europe, rather than Near East or Caucasus. Furthermore, most remaining share similar deep European ancestry. Thus great majority lineages were not brought from Levant, as commonly supposed, nor recruited Caucasus, sometimes suggested, but assimilated within Europe. These results point significant role for conversion women formation communities, provide foundation detailed reconstruction genealogical history.