Description
Haplogroup I2 (mtDNA) is a subclade of haplogroup I with a distribution oriented more towards South and Central Asia compared to I1. I2 is found in populations of Iran, Pakistan, India, and Central Asia, suggesting a South Asian or Central Asian origin or passage point. It represents one of the ancient West Eurasian mtDNA lineages that may have been distributed across the Near East and South Asia during the Upper Paleolithic. I2 is rare overall but has been detected in ancient Eurasian samples, confirming its antiquity.
Interesting Fact
I2 (mtDNA) has been found in ancient samples from the Chalcolithic and Bronze Age of the Indian subcontinent and Central Asia, including Indus Valley Civilization-era sites. This suggests it was part of the genetic diversity present in the pre-Aryan population of South Asia and may trace the movement of populations from the Iranian Plateau or Central Asia into South Asia during the Neolithic or Chalcolithic periods.
Distribution by Ethnicity
| Ethnic distribution | Region | Frequency | Sample |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iranians | Middle East | n=300 | |
| Pakistanis | South Asia | n=250 | |
| Central Asians | Central Asia | n=200 | |
| Turks | Anatolia | n=250 | |
| North Indians | South Asia | n=400 |
Tags
References
- Quintana-Murci et al. (2004) — Where West meets East: the complex mtDNA landscape of the Southwest and Central Asian corridor. American Journal of Human Genetics 74(5), 827–845.
- Palanichamy et al. (2004) — Phylogeny of mitochondrial DNA macrohaplogroup N in India. American Journal of Human Genetics 75(6), 966–978.