Genetic evidence in support of a shared Eurasian-North African dairying origin

摘要: The process by which pastoralism and agriculture spread from the Fertile Crescent over past 10,000 years has been subject of intense investigation geneticists, linguists archaeologists. However, no consensus reached as to whether this Neolithic transition is best characterized a demic diffusion (with significant genetic input migrating farmers) or cultural (without substantial migration farmers). Milk consumption thus lactose tolerance are assumed have with we propose that looking at relevant mutations in around lactase gene human populations, can gain insight into origin(s) dairying. We genotyped putatively causal allele for (−13910T) constructed haplotypes several polymorphisms (LCT) three North African Berber populations compared our results previously published data. found frequency −13910T predicts Eurasian but not most sub-Saharan populations. Our analyses suggest contemporary possess signature pastoralists Middle East they share dairying origin Europeans Asians, Africans.