Description
Mitochondrial haplogroup U7 is a Near Eastern and South Asian branch of U found across a broad arc from the Arabian Peninsula through Iran and Pakistan to northern India. U7 is found at frequencies of 2–7% in Iran, Pakistan, and northwestern India, and at 1–4% in the Arabian Peninsula and parts of Central Asia. It is considered one of the ancient lineages connecting the Near East and South Asia, predating the Indo-European migrations. U7 appears to have been present in the region since the late Paleolithic and expanded during the Neolithic period along the southern Asian corridor.
Interesting Fact
Haplogroup U7's distribution precisely traces the ancient cultural and genetic corridor linking the Near East, Iran, and South Asia — a region that saw the origin of some of the world's earliest urban civilizations (Mesopotamia, the Indus Valley). U7 may have been carried by populations ancestral to the Indus Valley Civilization.
Distribution by Ethnicity
| Ethnic distribution | Region | Frequency | Sample |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iranians | Near East | n=350 | |
| Pakistanis | South Asia | n=400 | |
| Afghans | Central Asia | n=200 | |
| North Indians | South Asia | n=500 | |
| Saudis | Near East | n=300 | |
| Uzbeks | Central Asia | n=250 |
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.
- 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.
- Behar et al. (2008) — The dawn of human matrilineal diversity. American Journal of Human Genetics 82(5), 1130–1140.