Distribution of maternal lineages in hunter-gatherer societies of the southern coast of Tierra del Fuego, Argentina.

CRESPO, CRISTIAN; CARDOZO, DARÍO; TESSONE, AUGUSTO; VAZQUÉZ. MARTÍN; KISIELINSKI, CAROLINE; ARENCIBIA, VALERIA; TACKNEY, JUSTIN; ZANGRANDO, ATILIO FRANCISCO JAVIER; DEJEAN, CRISTINA

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY

WILEY-LISS, DIV JOHN WILEY & SONS INC

Lugar: New York; Año: 2020 vol. 173 p. 709 - 720

0002-9483

ObjectivesThe aim of this work is to explore the maternal genetic diversity of hunter-gatherers of the southern Tierra del Fuego, specifically the north coast of Beagle Channel, the Península Mitre and Isla de los Estados through ancient mitochondrial DNA analysis.Materials and MethodsWe analyzed hypervariable regions 1 and 2 of the mitochondrial genome of five individuals from the north coast of Beagle Channel, six individuals from Península Mitre, and one individual from Isla de los Estados. Through diversity statistics, AMOVA, and Median Joining networks analyses, we evaluated maternal relationships in the region and determined phylogenetic similarities between ancient and contemporary populations of Tierra del Fuego.ResultsThe mitochondrial DNA lineages from the ancient individuals analyzed reveals the presence of subclades C1b and D1g. Pattern of decreasing genetic diversity towards the South is observed. The AMOVAS performed found no statistically significant differences between individuals of the north coast of Beagle Channel and Península Mitre-Isla de los Estados, and modern Yámana populations. Median joining network of haplotypes of clades C1 and D1g, show the same results.DiscussionEthnohistoric and ethnographic records of Península Mitre show that this region was occupied during the 19th century by Haush or Manekenk populations, although their biological, cultural and subsistence characterization is unclear. We explore their maternal lineages and encounter low levels of genetic diversity and the absence of population differentiation with ancient Yámana groups. We suggest that Península Mitre-Isla de los Estado was part of the same hunting and gathering populations as those of the Beagle Channel.