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In human genetics, Haplogroup R1a1 (M17) is a Y-chromosome haplogroup, that is spread across Eurasia.

It is common in Europe, Northern Central Asia and India. In Europe the highest frequencies are in Eastern Europe. Today it is found with its highest levels in Poland and Russia, where one out of two men has this haplogroup. Relatively high frequencies are also found in Northern Europe. Maybe associated in Europe to Indo-European expansion, its frequency decreases towards the West and South of the continent. In India haplogroup R1a1 is found in both the Hindu castes and tribal populations, and it is most diverse in tribal, rather than caste populations, therefore researchers have concluded that it is not necessarily a signature of Central Asian origin .

Origins

The first carriers of the R1a1 haplotype are believed to have been nomadic farmers in the steppes of northern Central Asia about 10,000 years ago. Current theories point to them being the first speakers of the proto-Indo-European languages (the Kurgan culture) and the first ones to domesticate the horse.

Relationship to other haplogroups

R1a1 is a subgroup of Haplogroup R (M207).

It is related to Haplogroup R1b (M343) which is dominant in Western Europe, and more distantly related to Haplogroup R2 (M124).

• Haplogroup R (M207)
  • Haplogroup R1 (M173)
    • Haplogroup R1a (SRY10831.2-)
      • Haplogroup R1a1 (M17)
      • Haplogroup R1a*
    • Haplogroup R1b (M343)
  • Haplogroup R2 (M124)

See also

• Human Y-chromosome DNA haplogroups

References

• Luigi Luca Cavalli-Sforza (1994). The History and Geography of Human Genes. Princeton University Press. ISBN 0691087504
• Semino et al (2000), The Genetic Legacy of Paleolithic Homo sapiens sapiens in Extant Europeans, Science, Vol 290
• Wells et al (2001), The Eurasian Heartland: A continental perspective on Y-chromosome diversity, PNAS, Vol 98
• Sanghamitra Sengupta et al. (2006), Polarity and Temporality of High-Resolution Y-Chromosome Distributions in India Identify Both Indigenous and Exogenous Expansions and Reveal Minor Genetic Influence of Central Asian Pastoralists, American Journal of Human Genetics, 78:202-221

External links

• Spread of R1a1, from the Genographic Project, National Geographic

• Human Y-DNA haplogroups