213646_Günther,T_2018.pdf (7.14 MB)
Population genomics of Mesolithic Scandinavia: Investigating early postglacial migration routes and high-latitude adaptation
journal contribution
posted on 2023-06-02, 02:00 authored by Torsten Günther, Helena Malmström, Emma M Svensson, Ayça Omrak, Federico Sánchez-Quinto, Gülşah M Kılınç, Maja Krzewińska, Gunilla Eriksson, Magdalena Fraser, Hanna Edlund, Arielle R Munters, Alexandra Coutinho, Luciana G Simões, Mário Vicente, Anders Sjölander, Berit Jansen Sellevold, Roger Jørgensen, Peter Claes, Mark D Shriver, Cristina ValdioseraCristina Valdiosera, Mihai G Netea, Jan Apel, Kerstin Lidén, Birgitte Skar, Jan Storå, Anders Götherström, Mattias JakobssonScandinavia was one of the last geographic areas in Europe to become habitable for humans after the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). However, the routes and genetic composition of these postglacial migrants remain unclear. We sequenced the genomes, up to 57× coverage, of seven hunter-gatherers excavated across Scandinavia and dated from 9,500–6,000 years before present (BP). Surprisingly, among the Scandinavian Mesolithic individuals, the genetic data display an east–west genetic gradient that opposes the pattern seen in other parts of Mesolithic Europe. Our results suggest two different early postglacial migrations into Scandinavia: initially from the south, and later, from the northeast. The latter followed the ice-free Norwegian north Atlantic coast, along which novel and advanced pressure-blade stone-tool techniques may have spread. These two groups met and mixed in Scandinavia, creating a genetically diverse population, which shows patterns of genetic adaptation to high latitude environments. These potential adaptations include high frequencies of low pigmentation variants and a gene region associated with physical performance, which shows strong continuity into modern-day northern Europeans.
Funding
Berit Wallenberg foundation (grant number BWS2011.0090) to MF. The funder had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. European Research Council starting grant to MJ. The funder had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. Wenner-Gren Foundations postdoctoral fellowship to TG. The funder had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. Knut and Alice Wallenberg foundation to MJ, JS, AG. The funder had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. Riksbankens Jubileumsfond to MJ, JS, AG. The funder had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. Swedish Research council (grant number 421-2013-730) to JA, JS. The funder had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. Swedish Research council (grant number 2013-1905) to MJ, JS, AG. The funder had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. Formas (grant number 2011-1138) to EMS. The funder had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.
History
Publication Date
2018-01-09Journal
PLOS BiologyVolume
16Issue
1Article Number
e2003703Pagination
22p. (p. 1-22)Publisher
Public Library of ScienceISSN
1544-9173Rights Statement
© 2018 Günther et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.Publisher DOI
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