Y chromosome evidence for a founder effect in Ashkenazi Jews

Almut Nebel, Dvora Filon, Marina Faerman*, Himla Soodyall, Ariella Oppenheim

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

23 Scopus citations

Abstract

Recent genetic studies, based on Y chromosome polymorphic markers, showed that Ashkenazi Jews are more closely related to other Jewish and Middle Eastern groups than to their host populations in Europe. However, Ashkenazim have an elevated frequency of R-M17, the dominant Y chromosome haplogroup in Eastern Europeans, suggesting possible gene flow. In the present study of 495 Y chromosomes of Ashkenazim, 57 (11.5%) were found to belong to R-M17. Detailed analyses of haplotype structure, diversity and geographic distribution suggest a founder effect for this haplogroup, introduced at an early stage into the evolving Ashkenazi community in Europe. R-M17 chromosomes in Ashkenazim may represent vestiges of the mysterious Khazars.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)388-391
Number of pages4
JournalEuropean Journal of Human Genetics
Volume13
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Mar 2005

Keywords

  • Ashkenazi Jews
  • Founder effect
  • Y chromosome haplotypes

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