Description
Mitochondrial haplogroup N2 is an ancient Near Eastern and South Asian branch of haplogroup N, one of the two major non-African mtDNA macrohaplogroups (alongside M). N2 is found at low frequencies across a broad geographic range spanning the Near East, Central Asia, South Asia, and parts of Southeast Asia, with no single population showing very high concentrations. Its wide but sparse distribution suggests N2 may be an ancient lineage that predates the differentiation of modern Eurasian populations and has persisted at low levels across the region since the initial Out-of-Africa expansion. N2 is sometimes found in populations with deep Near Eastern or ancient Eurasian ancestry.
Interesting Fact
Haplogroup N2's broad but diffuse distribution across Eurasia, without any strong population-specific concentration, may reflect a very ancient lineage that spread with the initial peopling of southern Eurasia but never achieved a strong founder effect in any particular location — a pattern consistent with the earliest, most widespread phases of human expansion out of Africa.
Distribution by Ethnicity
| Ethnic distribution | Region | Frequency | Sample |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iranians | Near East | n=350 | |
| Pakistanis | South Asia | n=400 | |
| Turks | Near East | n=400 | |
| South Indians | South Asia | n=500 | |
| Uzbeks | Central Asia | n=250 | |
| Thais | Southeast Asia | n=350 |
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.
- Behar et al. (2008) — The dawn of human matrilineal diversity. American Journal of Human Genetics 82(5), 1130–1140.
- Metspalu et al. (2004) — Most of the extant mtDNA boundaries in south and southwest Asia were likely shaped during the initial settlement of Eurasia. BMC Genetics 5:26.