INTERPOPULATION AND INTRAPOPULATION STUDIES OF ANCIENT HUMANS

For a genetic analysis of ancient human populations to be useful, it m ust be demonstrated that the DNA samples under investigation represent a single human population. Toward that end, we have analyzed human DN A from the Windover site (7000-8000 BP). MHC-I analysis, using allele- specific oligonucleotide hybridization to PCR amplified Windover DNA, microsatellite anaysis by PCR of the APO-AZ repeat and mtD-loop 3' reg ion sequencing on multiple individuals spanning nearly the full range of estimated burial dates all confirm the hypothesis that there is a p ersistence of both nuclear and mitochondrial haplotypes at Windover th roughout its entire period of use. Thus, Windover can be considered a single population. Neighbor-joining tree analysis of mtDNA sequences s uggests that some mitochondrial types are clearly related to extant Am erind types, whereas others, more distantly related, may reflect genet ically distinct origins. A more complete sequence analysis will be req uired to firmly resolve this issue. Calibrating genetic relationships deduced by tree analysis, radiocarbon dates and burial position, yield s a human mtD-loop DNA rate of evolution of 3700 to 14,000 years per p ercent change. Both values are within the range of recent, independent ly calculated values using estimates of evolutionary divergence or the oretical population genetics. Thus we are beginning to realize the pro mise of ancient DNA analysis to experimentally answer heretofore unapp roachable questions regarding human prehistory and genetic change.