A rich mix of genetic influences... Scientists reveal the genetic origins of Yemenis

An international research team has revealed new insights into the origins of modern-day Yemenis. Scientists have uncovered a rich mix of genetic influences from the Levant (eastern Mediterranean), the Arabian Peninsula, and East Africa. The findings reveal how ancient migrations have shaped the genetic makeup of the people of Yemen over thousands of years.

According to the study, published in the journal Scientific Reports, researchers analyzed 46 complete genomes and 169 gene sets from Yemeni individuals, along with 351 comparison gene sets from populations of neighboring countries.

The genome is the complete set of genetic information found in human cells. It consists of DNA that carries the genetic instructions necessary for an organism's growth, function, and reproduction.

The genome can be thought of as a huge "instruction book" containing all the biological commands that make an organism what it is.

Genetic Journey

The researchers focused on two main types of genetic material: the so-called human Y chromosome haplogroup (DNA passed from father to son, thus tracing male origins), and the mitochondrial DNA (passed from mother to child, thus tracing female origins).

These gene clusters represent genetic markers in a family tree that help trace the deep origins of ancestors. They are determined by specific gene mutations passed from generation to generation. It's like tracing a family's lineage, but at the genetic level, and for periods of up to thousands of years.

Your DNA contains small genetic changes (mutations) that occur over thousands of years. These changes are passed from parents to children, and scientists use them to group people into different genetic groups.

By studying these genetic markers, researchers were able to study migration patterns and historical connections between Yemen and neighboring regions. Most Yemeni samples appeared to carry the J1 haplogroup, which is common in southwest Asia, including the Levant and the Arabian Peninsula.

While about a third of Yemeni mitochondrial DNA matches African groups, particularly the L2A1 group, the most prevalent genotype in sub-Saharan Africa, this suggests that many of Yemen's maternal ancestors came from East Africa specifically, likely through trade and migration across the Red Sea.

Two waves of migration

According to the study, scientists identified two major waves of migration that contributed to genetic diversity in Yemen. The first occurred approximately 5,220 years ago, when the migration from the Levant to Yemen occurred.

This is consistent with historical records of trade and cultural exchange between the Arabian Peninsula and ancient civilizations such as Mesopotamia, Egypt, and Canaan, in the Bronze Age.

The second migration occurred about 750 years ago, when a second wave of migration came from East Africa during the Middle Ages.

This is in line with the trade routes in the Indian Ocean, where Yemen was a major center of trade, including gold, spices, and workers transported across the Red Sea.

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