Description
Haplogroup U5b is a major subclade of U5 associated with the Western European Paleolithic and Mesolithic populations. Unlike U5a, which is more strongly associated with Eastern Europe and the Steppe, U5b has a more westerly distribution and is found at elevated frequencies in the Iberian Peninsula, Sardinia, and among the Basques. U5b is believed to have survived the Last Glacial Maximum in the Franco-Cantabrian refugium — the major glacial refuge in southwestern Europe — and subsequently re-expanded northward as the ice sheets retreated.
Interesting Fact
U5b1b is found at frequencies of 25–50% among the Saami of Scandinavia and approximately 1% among Berbers of North Africa — an ancient connection suggesting that U5b-carrying hunter-gatherers occupied a vast territory from North Africa to Scandinavia before being largely replaced by incoming farmers. This makes U5b one of the broadest-ranging Paleolithic mtDNA lineages known.
Distribution by Ethnicity
| Ethnic distribution | Region | Frequency | Sample |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saami | Northern Europe | n=100 | |
| Basques | Southwestern Europe | n=200 | |
| Sardinians | Southern Europe | n=200 | |
| Iberians (Spanish) | Southwestern Europe | n=500 | |
| Northern Europeans (average) | Northern Europe | n=500 | |
| Berbers | North Africa | n=250 |
Tags
References
- Achilli et al. (2004) — The molecular dissection of mtDNA haplogroup H confirms that the Franco-Cantabrian glacial refuge was a major source for the European gene pool. American Journal of Human Genetics 75(5), 910–918.
- Bramanti et al. (2009) — Genetic discontinuity between local hunter-gatherers and central Europe's first farmers. Science 326(5949), 137–140.
- Macias et al. (2012) — Mitochondrial DNA analysis of Moroccan populations and detection of haplogroup H. Journal of Human Genetics 57, 693–703.