Dense sampling of ethnic groups within African countries reveals fine-scale genetic structure and extensive historical admixture

Previous studies have highlighted how African genomes have been shaped by a complex series of historical events. Despite this, genome-wide data have only been obtained from a small proportion of present-day ethnolinguistic groups. By analyzing new autosomal genetic variation data of 1333 individuals...

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Main Authors: Bird, N, Ormond, L, Awah, P, Caldwell, EF, Connell, B, Elamin, M, Fadlelmola, FM, Matthew Fomine, FL, López, S, MacEachern, S, Moñino, Y, Morris, S, Näsänen-Gilmore, P, Nketsia V, NK, Veeramah, K, Weale, ME, Zeitlyn, D, Thomas, MG, Bradman, N, Hellenthal, G
Format: Journal article
Language:English
Published: American Association for the Advancement of Science 2023
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author Bird, N
Ormond, L
Awah, P
Caldwell, EF
Connell, B
Elamin, M
Fadlelmola, FM
Matthew Fomine, FL
López, S
MacEachern, S
Moñino, Y
Morris, S
Näsänen-Gilmore, P
Nketsia V, NK
Veeramah, K
Weale, ME
Zeitlyn, D
Thomas, MG
Bradman, N
Hellenthal, G
author_facet Bird, N
Ormond, L
Awah, P
Caldwell, EF
Connell, B
Elamin, M
Fadlelmola, FM
Matthew Fomine, FL
López, S
MacEachern, S
Moñino, Y
Morris, S
Näsänen-Gilmore, P
Nketsia V, NK
Veeramah, K
Weale, ME
Zeitlyn, D
Thomas, MG
Bradman, N
Hellenthal, G
author_sort Bird, N
collection OXFORD
description Previous studies have highlighted how African genomes have been shaped by a complex series of historical events. Despite this, genome-wide data have only been obtained from a small proportion of present-day ethnolinguistic groups. By analyzing new autosomal genetic variation data of 1333 individuals from over 150 ethnic groups from Cameroon, Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Nigeria, and Sudan, we demonstrate a previously underappreciated fine-scale level of genetic structure within these countries, for example, correlating with historical polities in western Cameroon. By comparing genetic variation patterns among populations, we infer that many northern Cameroonian and Sudanese groups share genetic links with multiple geographically disparate populations, likely resulting from long-distance migrations. In Ghana and Nigeria, we infer signatures of intermixing dated to over 2000 years ago, corresponding to reports of environmental transformations possibly related to climate change. We also infer recent intermixing signals in multiple African populations, including Congolese, that likely relate to the expansions of Bantu language–speaking peoples.
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spelling oxford-uuid:55a59174-5b44-489d-bbfd-c32c9b0a7b3e2023-10-06T15:07:31ZDense sampling of ethnic groups within African countries reveals fine-scale genetic structure and extensive historical admixtureJournal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:55a59174-5b44-489d-bbfd-c32c9b0a7b3eEnglishSymplectic ElementsAmerican Association for the Advancement of Science2023Bird, NOrmond, LAwah, PCaldwell, EFConnell, BElamin, MFadlelmola, FMMatthew Fomine, FLLópez, SMacEachern, SMoñino, YMorris, SNäsänen-Gilmore, PNketsia V, NKVeeramah, KWeale, MEZeitlyn, DThomas, MGBradman, NHellenthal, GPrevious studies have highlighted how African genomes have been shaped by a complex series of historical events. Despite this, genome-wide data have only been obtained from a small proportion of present-day ethnolinguistic groups. By analyzing new autosomal genetic variation data of 1333 individuals from over 150 ethnic groups from Cameroon, Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Nigeria, and Sudan, we demonstrate a previously underappreciated fine-scale level of genetic structure within these countries, for example, correlating with historical polities in western Cameroon. By comparing genetic variation patterns among populations, we infer that many northern Cameroonian and Sudanese groups share genetic links with multiple geographically disparate populations, likely resulting from long-distance migrations. In Ghana and Nigeria, we infer signatures of intermixing dated to over 2000 years ago, corresponding to reports of environmental transformations possibly related to climate change. We also infer recent intermixing signals in multiple African populations, including Congolese, that likely relate to the expansions of Bantu language–speaking peoples.
spellingShingle Bird, N
Ormond, L
Awah, P
Caldwell, EF
Connell, B
Elamin, M
Fadlelmola, FM
Matthew Fomine, FL
López, S
MacEachern, S
Moñino, Y
Morris, S
Näsänen-Gilmore, P
Nketsia V, NK
Veeramah, K
Weale, ME
Zeitlyn, D
Thomas, MG
Bradman, N
Hellenthal, G
Dense sampling of ethnic groups within African countries reveals fine-scale genetic structure and extensive historical admixture
title Dense sampling of ethnic groups within African countries reveals fine-scale genetic structure and extensive historical admixture
title_full Dense sampling of ethnic groups within African countries reveals fine-scale genetic structure and extensive historical admixture
title_fullStr Dense sampling of ethnic groups within African countries reveals fine-scale genetic structure and extensive historical admixture
title_full_unstemmed Dense sampling of ethnic groups within African countries reveals fine-scale genetic structure and extensive historical admixture
title_short Dense sampling of ethnic groups within African countries reveals fine-scale genetic structure and extensive historical admixture
title_sort dense sampling of ethnic groups within african countries reveals fine scale genetic structure and extensive historical admixture
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