Description
Haplogroup T2e is a subclade of T2 found predominantly in Eastern Europe, Russia, and among populations of the Caucasus and Central Asia. It is less common in Western Europe than T2b. T2e appears to have a more easterly distribution compared to other T2 subclades, possibly reflecting its spread via the Pontic Steppe route rather than the purely Anatolian farming corridor. T2e has been identified in ancient samples from multiple European and Central Asian archaeological cultures.
Interesting Fact
T2e is the confirmed mitochondrial haplogroup of the Romanov Imperial Family — the last ruling dynasty of Russia. The remains of Tsar Nicholas II and his family, identified by forensic DNA analysis in the 1990s and 2000s, all carried T2e, traced through the maternal line descending from Princess Alice of the United Kingdom, granddaughter of Queen Victoria.
Distribution by Ethnicity
| Ethnic distribution | Region | Frequency | Sample |
|---|---|---|---|
| Russians | Eastern Europe | n=500 | |
| Ukrainians | Eastern Europe | n=300 | |
| Poles | Eastern Europe | n=400 | |
| Germans | Central Europe | n=500 | |
| British | Northwestern Europe | n=600 |
Tags
References
- Coble et al. (2009) — Mystery solved: the identification of the two missing Romanov children using DNA analysis. PLOS ONE 4(3), e4838.
- Gill et al. (1994) — Identification of the remains of the Romanov family by DNA analysis. Nature Genetics 6(2), 130–135.
- Haak et al. (2010) — Ancient DNA from European early Neolithic farmers reveals their Near Eastern affinities. PLOS Biology 8(11), e1000536.