C. Lalueza et al., LACK OF FOUNDING AMERINDIAN MITOCHONDRIAL-DNA LINEAGES IN EXTINCT ABORIGINES FROM TIERRA-DEL-FUEGO PATAGONIA, Human molecular genetics, 6(1), 1997, pp. 41-46
Ancient DNA from bones and teeth of 60 individuals from four extinct h
uman populations from Tierra del Fuego-Patagonia (Selknam, Yamana, Kaw
eskar and Aonikenk) has been extracted and the mitochondrial DNA (mtDN
A) amplified by using the polymerase chain reaction, High-resolution a
nalysis of endonuclease restriction site variation in the mtDNA and se
quencing of its hypervariable non-coding control region, revealed comp
lete absence of two of the four primary mitochondrial haplotype groups
present in contemporary Amerinds, namely A and B, In contrast, haplog
roups C and D were found in all but one sample with frequencies of sim
ilar to 38% and 60%, These results, together with the decreasing incid
ence of group A in more southerly latitudes in the American continent
and the absence of cluster a above 55 degrees North in America and Asi
a, argue that the first settlers entering America 21 000-14 000 years
ago already lacked both mtDNA lineages.