J Hum Genet. 2009 Jan 9. [Epub ahead of print]
Links
The Indian origin of
paternal haplogroup R1a1(*) substantiates the autochthonous
origin of Brahmins and the caste system.
Sharma
S, Rai
E, Sharma
P, Jena
M, Singh
S, Darvishi
K, Bhat
AK, Bhanwer
AJ, Tiwari
PK, Bamezai
RN.
[1] 1National Centre of Applied Human Genetics, School of
Life Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
[2] 2Department of Human Genetics, Guru Nanak Dev University,
Amritsar, India.
Many major rival models of the origin of the Hindu caste
system co-exist despite extensive studies, each with associated
genetic evidences. One of the major factors that has still
kept the origin of the Indian caste system obscure is the
unresolved question of the origin of Y-haplogroup R1a1(*),
at times associated with a male-mediated major genetic influx
from Central Asia or Eurasia, which has contributed to the
higher castes in India. Y-haplogroup R1a1(*) has a widespread
distribution and high frequency across Eurasia, Central
Asia and the Indian subcontinent, with scanty reports of
its ancestral (R(*), R1(*) and R1a(*)) and derived lineages
(R1a1a, R1a1b and R1a1c). To resolve these issues, we screened
621 Y-chromosomes (of Brahmins occupying the upper-most
caste position and schedule castes/tribals occupying the
lower-most positions) with 55 Y-chromosomal binary markers
and seven Y-microsatellite markers and compiled an extensive
dataset of 2809 Y-chromosomes (681 Brahmins, and 2128 tribals
and schedule castes) for conclusions. A peculiar observation
of the highest frequency (up to 72.22%) of Y-haplogroup
R1a1(*) in Brahmins hinted at its presence as a founder
lineage for this caste group. Further, observation of R1a1(*)
in different tribal population groups, existence of Y-haplogroup
R1a(*) in ancestors and extended phylogenetic analyses of
the pooled dataset of 530 Indians, 224 Pakistanis and 276
Central Asians and Eurasians bearing the R1a1(*) haplogroup
supported the autochthonous origin of R1a1 lineage in India
and a tribal link to Indian Brahmins. However, it is important
to discover novel Y-chromosomal binary marker(s) for a higher
resolution of R1a1(*) and confirm the present conclusions.Journal
of Human Genetics advance online publication, 9 January
2009; doi:10.1038/jhg.2008.2.
