Distribution of mitochondrial DNA lineages among native American tribes ofnortheastern North America

The mtDNA haplogroups of 185 individuals from Native American tribes in Nor theast North America were determined. A subset of these individuals was ana lyzed by sequencing hypervariable segments I and II of the control region. The haplogroup frequency distributions of populations in the Northeast exhi bit regional continuity that predates European contact. A large amount of g ene flow has occurred between Siouan- and Algonquian-speaking groups, proba bly due to an Algonquian intrusion into the Northeast. The data also suppor t both the Macro-Siouan hypothesis and a relatively recent intrusion of Nor thern Iroquoians into the Northeast. These conclusions are consistent with archaeological and linguistic evidence.