Genome-wide ancestry patterns in Rapanui suggest pre-European admixture with Native Americans

J Víctor Moreno-Mayar; Simon Rasmussen; Andaine Seguin-Orlando; Morten Rasmussen; Mason Liang; Siri Tennebø Flåm; Benedicte Alexandra Lie; Gregor Duncan Gilfillan; Rasmus Nielsen; Erik Thorsby; Eske Willerslev; Anna-Sapfo Malaspinas

doi:10.1016/j.cub.2014.09.057

Genome-wide ancestry patterns in Rapanui suggest pre-European admixture with Native Americans

J Víctor Moreno-Mayar, Simon Rasmussen, Andaine Seguin-Orlando, Morten Rasmussen, Mason Liang, Siri Tennebø Flåm, Benedicte Alexandra Lie, Gregor Duncan Gilfillan, Rasmus Nielsen, Erik Thorsby, Eske Willerslev, Anna-Sapfo Malaspinas

26 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Rapa Nui (Easter Island), located in the easternmost corner of the Polynesian Triangle, is one of the most isolated locations on the planet inhabited by humans. Archaeological and genetic evidence suggests that the island was first colonized by Polynesians around AD 1200, during their eastward expansion. Although it remains contentious whether Polynesians reached South America, suggestive evidence has been brought forward supporting the possibility of Native American contact prior to the European "discovery" of the island in AD 1722.

RESULTS: We generated genome-wide data for 27 Rapanui. We found a mostly Polynesian ancestry among Rapanui and detected genome-wide patterns consistent with Native American and European admixture. By considering the distribution of local ancestry tracts of eight unrelated Rapanui, we found statistical support for Native American admixture dating to AD 1280-1495 and European admixture dating to AD 1850-1895.

CONCLUSIONS: These genetic results can be explained by one or more pre-European trans-Pacific contacts.

Original language	English
Journal	Current biology : CB
Volume	24
Issue number	21
Pages (from-to)	2518-25
ISSN	0960-9822
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2014.09.057
Publication status	Published - 3 Nov 2014

Keywords

Human Migration
Humans
Indians, North American/genetics
Oceanic Ancestry Group/genetics
Polynesia/ethnology

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10.1016/j.cub.2014.09.057

http://www.cell.com/article/S0960982214012202/pdf

Cite this

Moreno-Mayar, J. V., Rasmussen, S., Seguin-Orlando, A., Rasmussen, M., Liang, M., Flåm, S. T., Lie, B. A., Gilfillan, G. D., Nielsen, R., Thorsby, E., Willerslev, E., & Malaspinas, A.-S. (2014). Genome-wide ancestry patterns in Rapanui suggest pre-European admixture with Native Americans. Current biology : CB, 24(21), 2518-25. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2014.09.057

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title = "Genome-wide ancestry patterns in Rapanui suggest pre-European admixture with Native Americans",

abstract = "BACKGROUND: Rapa Nui (Easter Island), located in the easternmost corner of the Polynesian Triangle, is one of the most isolated locations on the planet inhabited by humans. Archaeological and genetic evidence suggests that the island was first colonized by Polynesians around AD 1200, during their eastward expansion. Although it remains contentious whether Polynesians reached South America, suggestive evidence has been brought forward supporting the possibility of Native American contact prior to the European {"}discovery{"} of the island in AD 1722.RESULTS: We generated genome-wide data for 27 Rapanui. We found a mostly Polynesian ancestry among Rapanui and detected genome-wide patterns consistent with Native American and European admixture. By considering the distribution of local ancestry tracts of eight unrelated Rapanui, we found statistical support for Native American admixture dating to AD 1280-1495 and European admixture dating to AD 1850-1895.CONCLUSIONS: These genetic results can be explained by one or more pre-European trans-Pacific contacts.",

keywords = "Human Migration, Humans, Indians, North American/genetics, Oceanic Ancestry Group/genetics, Polynesia/ethnology",

author = "Moreno-Mayar, {J V{\'i}ctor} and Simon Rasmussen and Andaine Seguin-Orlando and Morten Rasmussen and Mason Liang and Fl{\aa}m, {Siri Tenneb{\o}} and Lie, {Benedicte Alexandra} and Gilfillan, {Gregor Duncan} and Rasmus Nielsen and Erik Thorsby and Eske Willerslev and Anna-Sapfo Malaspinas",

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doi = "10.1016/j.cub.2014.09.057",

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T1 - Genome-wide ancestry patterns in Rapanui suggest pre-European admixture with Native Americans

AU - Moreno-Mayar, J Víctor

AU - Rasmussen, Simon

AU - Seguin-Orlando, Andaine

AU - Rasmussen, Morten

AU - Liang, Mason

AU - Flåm, Siri Tennebø

AU - Lie, Benedicte Alexandra

AU - Gilfillan, Gregor Duncan

AU - Nielsen, Rasmus

AU - Thorsby, Erik

AU - Willerslev, Eske

AU - Malaspinas, Anna-Sapfo

PY - 2014/11/3

Y1 - 2014/11/3

N2 - BACKGROUND: Rapa Nui (Easter Island), located in the easternmost corner of the Polynesian Triangle, is one of the most isolated locations on the planet inhabited by humans. Archaeological and genetic evidence suggests that the island was first colonized by Polynesians around AD 1200, during their eastward expansion. Although it remains contentious whether Polynesians reached South America, suggestive evidence has been brought forward supporting the possibility of Native American contact prior to the European "discovery" of the island in AD 1722.RESULTS: We generated genome-wide data for 27 Rapanui. We found a mostly Polynesian ancestry among Rapanui and detected genome-wide patterns consistent with Native American and European admixture. By considering the distribution of local ancestry tracts of eight unrelated Rapanui, we found statistical support for Native American admixture dating to AD 1280-1495 and European admixture dating to AD 1850-1895.CONCLUSIONS: These genetic results can be explained by one or more pre-European trans-Pacific contacts.

AB - BACKGROUND: Rapa Nui (Easter Island), located in the easternmost corner of the Polynesian Triangle, is one of the most isolated locations on the planet inhabited by humans. Archaeological and genetic evidence suggests that the island was first colonized by Polynesians around AD 1200, during their eastward expansion. Although it remains contentious whether Polynesians reached South America, suggestive evidence has been brought forward supporting the possibility of Native American contact prior to the European "discovery" of the island in AD 1722.RESULTS: We generated genome-wide data for 27 Rapanui. We found a mostly Polynesian ancestry among Rapanui and detected genome-wide patterns consistent with Native American and European admixture. By considering the distribution of local ancestry tracts of eight unrelated Rapanui, we found statistical support for Native American admixture dating to AD 1280-1495 and European admixture dating to AD 1850-1895.CONCLUSIONS: These genetic results can be explained by one or more pre-European trans-Pacific contacts.

KW - Human Migration

KW - Humans

KW - Indians, North American/genetics

KW - Oceanic Ancestry Group/genetics

KW - Polynesia/ethnology

U2 - 10.1016/j.cub.2014.09.057

DO - 10.1016/j.cub.2014.09.057

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 25447991

SN - 0960-9822

VL - 24

SP - 2518

EP - 2525

JO - Current biology : CB

JF - Current biology : CB

IS - 21

ER -

Genome-wide ancestry patterns in Rapanui suggest pre-European admixture with Native Americans

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Keywords

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