DNA sequence of the mitochondrial hypervariable region II from the Neandertal type specimen

The DNA sequence of the second hypervariable region of the mitochondrial co ntrol region of the Neandertal type specimen, found in 1856 in central Euro pe, has been determined from 92 clones derived from eight overlapping ampli fications performed from four independent extracts. When the reconstructed sequence is analyzed together with the previously determined DNA sequence f rom the first hypervariable region, the Neandertal mtDNA is found to fall o utside a phylogenetic tree relating the mtDNAs of contemporary humans. The date of divergence between the mtDNAs of the Neandertal and contemporary hu mans is estimated to 465,000 years before the present, with confidence limi ts of 317,000 and 741,000 years, Taken together, the results support the co ncept that the Neandertal mtDNA evolved separately from that of modern huma ns for a substantial amount of time and lends no support to the idea that t hey contributed mtDNA to contemporary modern humans.