Ancient DNA from South-East Europe Reveals Different Events during Early and Middle Neolithic Influencing the European Genetic Heritage

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0128810
• Publication Date: 2015-06-10T15:30:18Z
• Authors: Montserrat Hervella; Mihai Rotea; Neskuts Izagirre; Mihai Constantinescu; Santos Alonso; Mihai Ioana; Cătălin Lazăr; Florin Ridiche; Andrei Dorian Sof...; Mihai G. Netea; Concepcion de-la-Rua
• Keywords: Peninsula; Ancient DNA; Balkan peninsula; Gene pool; Human migration

The importance of the process Neolithization for genetic make-up European populations has been hotly debated, with shifting hypotheses from a demic diffusion (DD) to cultural (CD) model. In this regard, ancient DNA data Balkan Peninsula, which is an important source information assess in Europe, however missing. present study we show on South-East Europe. We assessed mtDNA ten sites current territory Romania, spanning time-period Early Neolithic Late Bronze Age. farmers Starčevo Criş culture Romania (Cârcea, Gura Baciului and Negrileşti sites), confirm their relationship those LBK (Linienbandkeramik Kultur) Central they little continuity modern populations. On other hand, Middle-Late (Boian, Zau Gumelniţa cultures), supposedly second wave migration Anatolia, had much stronger effect heritage contrast, find smaller contribution Age migrations composition Europeans. Based these findings, propose that permeation lineages North-West Anatolia into Peninsula Europe represent shift between consequently