Mitochondrial DNA and Y chromosome-specific polymorphisms in the Seminole Tribe of Florida

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequence variation was examined in 37 Seminoles from Florida by polymerase chain reaction amplification and high resolution restriction endonuclease analysis. The Y chromosome TaqI restriction fragment length polymorphisms detected by the probes 49a, 49f, and 12f2 were examined in the 26 males of this group. Analysis of the mtDNA revealed that all four Native American haplogroups (A, B, C and D) were present in the Seminoles encompassing about 95% of the Seminole mtDNAs. No European mtDNAs were found among the Seminoles, but two mtDNAs (about 5%) were members of the African-specific haplogroup L1, thus indicating that a limited number of African women were incorporated in the Seminole tribe. Analysis of Y chromosome haplotypes supports the hypothesis that haplotypes 18 and 63 are the most likely founding Native American Y chromosome haplotypes from Asia. However, 11% of the Seminole Y chromosomes represented haplotypes generally attributed to Europeans, though none harbored standard African haplotypes. These findings support historical evidence that the Seminole tribe has integrated individuals of European and African ancestry, but suggests that the sex ratio of nonnatives from different continents may have varied.