10.5061/DRYAD.F6HS62HQ
Valverde, Laura
University of the Basque Country
Zarrabeitia, Maria Teresa
University of Cantabria
Odriozola, Adrian
University of the Basque Country
de Pancorbo, Marian Martínez
University of the Basque Country
Cardoso, Sergio
University of the Basque Country
Alfonso-Sánchez, Miguel Angel
University of the Basque Country
Sánchez, Dora
Hospital Metropolitano
Martínez-Jarreta, Begoña
University of Zaragoza
Data from: Genetic uniqueness of the Waorani tribe from the Ecuadorian Amazon
Dryad
dataset
2011
2011-12-12T20:28:19Z
2011-12-12T20:28:19Z
en
https://doi.org/10.1038/hdy.2011.131
28911 bytes
1
CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Public Domain Dedication
South America and especially the Amazon basin is known to be home to some
of the most isolated human groups in the world. Here we report on a study
of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) in the Waorani from Ecuador, probably the
most warlike human population known to date. Seeking to look in more depth
at the characterization of the genetic diversity of this Native American
tribe, molecular markers from the X and Y chromosomes were also analyzed.
Only three different mitochondrial DNA haplotypes were detected among the
Waorani sample. One of them, assigned to Native American haplogroup A2,
accounted for more than 94% of the total diversity of the maternal gene
pool. Our results for sex chromosome molecular markers failed to find
direct kinship between individuals and further emphasized the low genetic
diversity of the mtDNA found. Bearing in mind the results obtained for
both the analysis of the mtDNA control region and complete mitochondrial
genomes, we suggest the existence of a "Waorani-specific" mtDNA
lineage. According to current knowledge on the phylogeny of haplogroup A2,
we propose that this lineage could be designated as subhaplogroup A2s. Its
wide predominance among the Waorani people might have been conditioned by
severe genetic drift episodes resulting from founding events, long-term
isolation, and a traditionally small population size most likely
associated with the striking ethnography of this Amazonian community. In
all, the Waorani constitute a fine example of how genetic imprint may
mirror ethnopsychology and sociocultural features in human populations.
Cardosoetal_Waorani_Suppl_S3Female genotypes and male haplotypes for 10
X-chromosome STRs in a Waorani population sample