Jump to content

User:Glasshn/Anzick-1

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Glasshn (talk | contribs) at 15:56, 22 March 2015 (added more information and references to the discovery subheading). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Anzick-1 is the name given to the skeletal remains of Paleo-Indian male infant found in Western Montana in 1968 that date to 12,707-12,556 years BP.[1] Anzick-1 is the only human that has been discovered from the Clovis Complex, and is the first ancient Native American genome to be fully sequenced.[2]

Paleogenomic analysis of the remains revealed Siberian ancestry and a close genetic relationship to modern Native Americans.[1][2] These findings support the hypothesis that modern Native Americans are descended from Asian populations who crossed Beringia between 32,000 and 18,000 years ago, and discredits the Soultrean Hypothesis[1][2].

Anzick-1's discovery and subsequent analysis is controversial because although the researchers did not violate the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), many Montana tribal members believe they should have been consulted before the analysis of the infant's skeleton and genome.[3]

Discovery

The Anzick site was accidentally discovered by a construction worker in a collapsed rock shelter near Wilsal, Montana.[4][5] The site contained hundreds of of stone projectile points, blades, and bifaces as well as two juveniles[5] Some of the artifacts were covered in red ochre.[5] The stone points were identified as part of the Clovis Complex because of their distinct shape and size.[4] Originally, the two human skeletons were both thought to contemporaneous with the Clovis Complex stone points, but later carbon dating revealed that only one of the human skeletons, Anzick-1, was from the Clovis period.[4] Anzick-1 predates the other skeleton by two millennia.[4]

Osteological Findings

Paleogenetic Findings

A team of researchers throughout the United States and Europe conducted paleogenetic research on the Anzick-1 skeletal remains. They sequenced the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), the full nuclear DNA, and the Y-chromosome, and compared these sequences to those of modern populations throughout the world.[1] The results of these analyses allowed the researchers to make conclusions about ancient migration patterns and the peopling of the Americas.

Mitochondrial DNA Analysis

MtDNA is DNA located in mitochondria, an organelle that is found in human cells. The mitochondria is maternally inherited and analysis of the mtDNA can provide information about maternal ancestry.[6] MtDNA genomes are classified into different haplogroups based on a shared common ancestor, and distinct haplogroups provide information about ancient migration patterns.[7] Morten Rasumssen and Sarah L. Anzick et al. sequenced the mitochondrial DNA of Anzick-1 and determined that the infant represents an ancient migration to North America from Siberia. They found that Anzick-1's mtDNA belongs to the haplogroup D4h3a, a "founder" haplogroup that might represent an early coastal migration route into the Americas.[1] The D haplogroup is also found in modern Native American populations, which provides a link between Anzick-1 and modern Native Americans.[8]

Nuclear DNA Analysis

Y-Chromosome Analysis

Implications

Controversy

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Rasmussen, Morten; et al. (February 13, 2014). "The genome of a Late Pleistocene human from a Clovis burial site in western Montana". Nature. doi:10.1038/nature13025. Retrieved March 21, 2015. {{cite journal}}: Explicit use of et al. in: |first= (help)
  2. ^ a b c Raff, Jennifer; Bolnick, Deborah (February 13, 2014). "Palaeogenomics: Genetic roots of the first Americans". Nature. doi:10.1038/506162a. Retrieved March 21, 2015.
  3. ^ Callaway, Ewen (February 12, 2014). "Ancient genome stirs ethics debate". Nature. doi:10.1038/506142a. Retrieved March 21, 2015.
  4. ^ a b c d Owsley, Douglas W; Hunt, David (May 2001). "Clovis and early Archaic crania from the Anzick site (24PA506), Park County, Montana". Plains Anthropologist. Retrieved March 22, 2015.
  5. ^ a b c Lahren, Larry; Bonnichsen, Robson (October 11, 1974). "Bone Foreshafts from a Clovis Burial in Southwest Montana". Science. Retrieved March 22, 2015.
  6. ^ Fagundes, Nelson J. R.; et al. (March, 2008). "Mitochondrial Population Genomics Supports a Single Pre-Clovis Origin with a Coastal Route for the Peopling of the Americas". American Journal of Human Genetics. doi:10.1016/j.ajhg.2007.11.013. Retrieved March 22, 2015. {{cite journal}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Explicit use of et al. in: |first= (help)
  7. ^ Van Oven, Mannis; Kayser, Manfred (October 13, 2008). "Updated comprehensive phylogenetic tree of global human mitochondrial DNA variation". Human Mutation. doi:10.1002/humu.20921. Retrieved March 22, 2015.
  8. ^ Reich, David; et al. (August 16, 2012). "Reconstructing Native American population history". Nature. doi:10.1038/nature11258. Retrieved March 22, 2015. {{cite journal}}: Explicit use of et al. in: |first= (help)