Time of origin 151,600–233,600 YBP Descendants L0, L1-6 | Place of origin Eastern Africa | |
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In human mitochondrial genetics, L is the mitochondrial DNA macro-haplogroup that is at the root of the human mtDNA phylogenetic tree. As such, it represents the most ancestral mitochondrial lineage of all currently living modern humans.
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Macro-haplogroup L's origin is connected with Mitochondrial Eve, and thus, is believed to suggest an ultimate African origin of modern humans. Its major sub-clades include L0, L1, L2, L3, L4, L5 and L6, with all non-Africans exclusively descended from just haplogroup L3.
Haplogroup L3 descendants notwithstanding, the designation "haplogroup L" is typically used to designate the family of mtDNA clades that are most frequently found in Sub-Saharan Africa. However, all non-African haplogroups coalesce onto either haplogroup M or haplogroup N, and both these macrohaplogroups are simply sub-branches of haplogroup L3. Consequently, L in its broadest definition is really a paragroup containing all of modern humanity, and all human mitochondrial DNA from around the world are subclades of haplogroup L. Haplogroups M and N are sometimes referred to as haplogroups L3M and L3N respectively. Mitochondrial Eve is defined as the female human ancestor who is the most recent common ancestor of the most deep-rooted lineages of humanity: haplogroups L, L0 and L1-6.
Origin
Studies of human mitochondrial (mt) DNA genomes demonstrate that the root of the human phylogenetic tree occurs in East Africa. The data suggest that Tanzanians have high genetic diversity and possess ancient mtDNA haplogroups, some of which are either rare or absent in other regions of Africa. A large and diverse human population has persisted in eastern Africa and that region may have been an ancient source of dispersion of modern humans both within and outside of Africa.
Mitochondrial Eve is the ancestor of this macro-haplogroup and she is estimated to have lived approximately 190,000 years ago.
Distribution
Putting aside its sub-branches, haplogroups M and N, L haplogroups are predominant all over sub-Saharan Africa; L is at 96-100%, apart from spreading areas of Afroasiatic languages, where it is lower. Low frequencies are in North Africa, Arabian Peninsula, Middle East and Europe.
Sub-Saharan Africa
With the exception of a number of lineages that returned to Africa from Eurasia after the out of Africa migration theory, all Sub-Saharan African lineages belong to haplogroup L. The "back-to-Africa" haplogroups including U6, X1 and possibly M1 have returned to Africa possibly as far back as 45,000 years ago. Haplogroup H, which is common among Berbers, is also believed to have entered Africa from Europe during the post-glacial expansion.
The mutations that are used to identify the basal lineages of haplogroup L, are ancient and may be 150,000 years old. The deep time depth of these lineages entails that substructure of this haplogroup within Africa is complex and, at present, poorly understood. The first split within haplogroup L occurred 140-200kya, with the mutations that define macrohaplogroups L0 and L1-6. These two haplogroups are found throughout Africa at varying frequencies and thus exhibit an entangled pattern of mtDNA variation. However the distribution of some subclades of haplogroup L is structured around geographic or ethnic units. For example, the deepest clades of haplogroup L0, L0d and L0k are almost exclusively restricted to the Khoisan of southern Africa. L0d has also been detected among the Sandawe of Tanzania, which suggests an ancient connection between the Khoisan and East African populations.
North Africa
Haplogroup L is also found at moderate frequencies in North Africa. For example, the various Berber populations have frequencies of haplogroup L lineages that range from 3% to 45%. Haplogroup L has also been found at a small frequency of 2.2% in North African Jews from Morocco, Tunisia and Libya. Frequency was the highest in Libyan Jews 3.6%. Moroccan Arabs have more elevated SSA maternal admixture at around 21% to 36% Via L-mtDNA sequences, Highest frequencies of L-mtDNA is reported to Moroccan Arabs of The Surrounding area of El jadida at 36% and this admixture is largely ascribed to the trans-Saharan slave trade.
West Asia
Haplogroup L is also found in West Asia at low to moderate frequencies, most notably in Yemen where frequencies as high as 60% have been reported. It is also found at 15.50% in Bedouins from Israel, 13.68% in Palestinians, 12.55% in Jordania, 9.48% in Iraq, 9.15% in Syria, 6.66% in Saudi Arabia, 2.84% in Lebanon, 2.60% in Druzes from Israel, 2.44% in Kurds and 1.76% in Turks. Overall the Arab slave trade and expansion of foreign empires that encapsulated Saudi Arabia were linked to the negligible presence of haplogroup L in the Saudi Arabian gene pool.
Europe
In Europe, haplogroup L is found at low frequencies, typically less than 1% with the exception of Iberia (Spain and Portugal) where frequencies as high as 18.2% have been reported and some regions of Italy where frequencies between 2 and 3% have been found.
Overall frequency in Iberia is higher in Portugal than in Spain where frequencies only high in the south and west of the country. Increasing frequencies are observed for Galicia (3.26%) and northern Portugal (3.21%), through the center (5.02%) and to the south of Portugal (11.38%). Relatively high frequencies of 7.40% and 8.30% was also reported respectively in South Iberia, in the present population of Huelva and Priego de Cordoba by Casas et al. 2006. Significant frequencies were also found in the Autonomous regions of Portugal, with L haplogroups constituting about 13% of the lineages in Madeira and 3.4% in the Azores. In the Spanish archipelago of Canary Islands, frequencies have been reported at 6.6%. According to some researchers L lineages in Iberia are associated to Islamic invasions, while for others it may be due to more ancient processes as well as more recent ones through the introduction of these lineages by means of the modern slave trade. The highest frequency (18.2%) of Sub-Saharan lineages found so far in Europe were observed by Alvarez et al. 2010 in the comarca of Sayago which is according to the authors "comparable to that described for the South of Portugal".
In Italy, Haplogroup L lineages are present in some regions at frequencies between 2 and 3% in Latium (2.90%), parts of Tuscany, Basilicata and Sicily.
The Americas
Haplogroup L lineages are found in the African diaspora of the Americas as well as indigenous Americans. Haplogroup L lineages are predominant among African Americans, Afro-Caribbeans and Afro-Latin-Americans. In Brazil, Pena et al. report that 85% of self-identified Afro-Brazilians have Haplogroup L mtDNA sequences. Haplogroup L lineages are also found at moderate frequencies in self-identified White Brazilians. Alves Silva reports that 28% of a sample of White Brazilians belong to haplogroup L. In Argentina, a minor contribution of African lineages was observed throughout the country. Haplogroup L lineages were also reported at 8% in Colombia, and at 4.50% in North-Central Mexico. In North America, haplogroup L lineages were reported at a frequency of 0.90% in White Americans of European ancestry.