HAPLOTYPE-VIII OF THE Y-CHROMOSOME IS THE ANCESTRAL HAPLOTYPE IN JEWS

DNA samples from Ashkenazic and Sephardic Jews were studied with the Y -chromosome-specific DNA probes p49f and p49a to screen for restrictio n fragment length polymorphisms and haplotypes. Two haplotypes (VII an d VIII) are the most widespread, representing about 50% of the total n umber of haplotypes in Jews. The major haplotype in Oriental Jews is h aplotype VIII (85.1%); haplotype VIII is also the major haplotype in t he Djerban Jews (77.5%) (Djerban Jews represent probably one of the ol dest Jewish communities). Together these results confirm that haplotyp e Vm is the ancestral haplotype in Jews.