Description
Haplogroup L3b is a subclade of L3, the African haplogroup that gave rise to all non-African mtDNA through the Out of Africa migration. L3b itself, however, remained in Africa and is primarily distributed in East Africa and the Horn of Africa, with some presence in West Africa. L3b is found in elevated frequencies among Somali, Ethiopian, and other East African populations. Its distribution partly overlaps with the Horn of Africa populations that have complex admixture histories involving both African and Near Eastern ancestral components.
Interesting Fact
L3b and its closest relatives in East Africa represent the 'back-filling' branch of L3 — the haplogroup that did NOT leave Africa in the Out of Africa migration. All non-African mitochondrial DNA (the M and N macrohaplogroups) descends from L3, but L3b stayed in Africa while the lineage that left Africa approximately 65,000–70,000 years ago is ancestral to all non-African humanity.
Distribution by Ethnicity
| Ethnic distribution | Region | Frequency | Sample |
|---|---|---|---|
| Somalis | Horn of Africa | n=200 | |
| Ethiopians | East Africa | n=250 | |
| Sudanese | Northeast Africa | n=180 | |
| Kenyans (Nilotic) | East Africa | n=200 | |
| Yoruba (Nigeria) | West Africa | n=250 |
Tags
References
- Kivisild et al. (2004) — Ethiopian mitochondrial DNA heritage: tracking gene flow across and around the gate of tears. American Journal of Human Genetics 75(5), 752–770.
- Soares et al. (2012) — The expansion of mtDNA haplogroup L3 within and out of Africa. Molecular Biology and Evolution 29(3), 915–927.