Description
Haplogroup M7 is a major subclade of mtDNA haplogroup M, distributed predominantly in East Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific. It is particularly common in Japan, southern China, Taiwan, and Southeast Asian populations. M7 consists of several sub-branches (M7a, M7b, M7c) with distinct geographic distributions. M7a is concentrated in Japan and the Ryukyu Islands, M7b is widespread in southern China and Southeast Asia, and M7c is found in South and Southeast Asia. M7 is among the founding lineages of Austronesian populations in Taiwan.
Interesting Fact
M7a is one of the rarest mtDNA haplogroups in mainland East Asia but among the most common in the Ryukyu Islands of Japan — suggesting that Ryukyuan people are a distinct genetic group that preserves ancient Southeast Asian lineages that were largely replaced on the Japanese mainland during the Yayoi migration.
Distribution by Ethnicity
| Ethnic distribution | Region | Frequency | Sample |
|---|---|---|---|
| Taiwanese aboriginal | East Asia | n=400 | |
| Japanese | East Asia | n=1000 | |
| Southern Chinese | East/SE Asia | n=1000 | |
| Southeast Asians | Southeast Asia | n=1000 |
Tags
References
- Kivisild et al. (2002) — The emerging limbs and twigs of the East Asian mtDNA tree. Molecular Biology and Evolution 19(10), 1737–1751.