Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 9, 2026
08:35
Application of DNA Fingerprinting using the D1S80 Locus in Lab Classes
Published on: July 17, 2021
Genetic evidence for recent population mixture in India
Priya Moorjani1, Kumarasamy Thangaraj, Nick Patterson
1Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA. moorjani@genetics.med.harvard.edu
American Journal of Human Genetics
|August 13, 2013
Summary
Genetic studies reveal that most Indian populations originated from a mix of Ancestral North Indians (ANI) and Ancestral South Indians (ASI). This population mixture occurred between 1,900 and 4,200 years ago, marking a significant demographic shift in India.
Area of Science:
- Population Genetics
- Human Ancestry
- Genomic Studies
Background:
- Most Indian populations descend from two genetically distinct ancestral groups: Ancestral North Indians (ANI) and Ancestral South Indians (ASI).
- The precise timing of this admixture event is crucial for understanding the historical demography of the Indian subcontinent.
Purpose of the Study:
- To estimate the date of admixture between Ancestral North Indians (ANI) and Ancestral South Indians (ASI) using genome-wide data.
- To investigate the demographic history of the Indian subcontinent and the shift towards endogamy.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of genome-wide data from 73 diverse groups across the Indian subcontinent.
- Utilizing linkage disequilibrium patterns to infer admixture dates.
Main Results:
- Estimated ANI-ASI admixture dates range from approximately 1,900 to 4,200 years ago.
- A subset of groups showed complete admixture within this estimated period.
- The findings indicate a significant demographic transformation in India thousands of years ago.
Conclusions:
- India underwent a major demographic shift several millennia ago.
- This period saw a transition from widespread population mixture to increased endogamy, where mixture between even closely related groups became infrequent.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
02:39Gene Flow
Gene flow is the transfer of genes among populations, resulting from either the dispersal of gametes or from the migration of individuals.
02:16Genetics of Speciation
Speciation is the evolutionary process resulting in the formation of new, distinct species—groups of reproductively isolated populations.
02:55The Evidence for Evolution
Genetic variations accumulating within populations over generations give rise to biological evolution. Evolutionary changes can result in the formation of novel varieties and entire new species. These changes are responsible for the diverse forms of life inhabiting the planet. The evidence for evolution suggests that all living organisms descended from common ancestors.
01:09Mutation, Gene Flow, and Genetic Drift
In a population that is not at Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, the frequency of alleles changes over time. Therefore, any deviations from the five conditions of Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium can alter the genetic variation of a given population. Conditions that change the genetic variability of a population include mutations, natural selection, non-random mating, gene flow, and genetic drift (small population size).
03:33Genetic Drift
Natural selection—probably the most well-known evolutionary mechanism—increases the prevalence of traits that enhance survival and reproduction. However, evolution does not merely propagate favorable traits, nor does it always benefit populations.
01:25What is Population Genetics?
A population is composed of members of the same species that simultaneously live and interact in the same area. When individuals in a population breed, they pass down their genes to their offspring. Many of these genes are polymorphic, meaning that they occur in multiple variants. Such variations of a gene are referred to as alleles. The collective set of all the alleles within a population is known as the gene pool.