Paleolithic to Bronze Age Siberians reveal connections with first Americans and across Eurasia

• Published in: Cell
• Main Authors: Yu, H., Spyrou, M., Karapetian, M., Shnaider, S., Radzeviciute, R., Nägele, K., Neumann, G., Penske, S., Zech, J., Lucas, M., LeRoux, P., Roberts, P., Pavlenok, G., Buzhilova, A., Posth, C., Jeong, C., Krause, J.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 2020
• Subjects: Arctic; Siberia
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/21.11116/0000-0007-31E6-E

Modern humans have inhabited the Lake Baikal region since the Upper Paleolithic, though the precise history of its peoples over this long time span is still largely unknown. Here, we report genome-wide data from 19 Upper Paleolithic to Early Bronze Age individuals from this Siberian region. An Upper Paleolithic genome shows a direct link with the First Americans by sharing the admixed ancestry that gave rise to all non-Arctic Native Americans. We also demonstrate the formation of Early Neolithic and Bronze Age Baikal populations as the result of prolonged admixture throughout the eighth to sixth millennium BP. Moreover, we detect genetic interactions with western Eurasian steppe populations and reconstruct Yersinia pestis genomes from two Early Bronze Age individuals without western Eurasian ancestry. Overall, our study demonstrates the most deeply divergent connection between Upper Paleolithic Siberians and the First Americans and reveals human and pathogen mobility across Eurasia during the Bronze Age. Introduction Results - Ancient DNA Sequencing - Population Structure - Upper Paleolithic Baikal Ancestry Links with Non-Arctic Native Americans - Complex Transition between the Early Neolithic and Bronze Age in the Lake Baikal Region - High Mobility in Bronze Age Siberia Revealed by Genetic Outliers - Identification of Y. pestis Infections among Genetic Outlier Individuals - Genetic Influence on the Okunevo Culture Discussion