Affiliation:
1. Department of Genetics and Molecular Biology Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional Mexico City Mexico
2. Institute of Clinical Molecular Biology Kiel University Kiel Germany
3. Department of Process and Technology Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana‐Cuajimalpa Mexico City Mexico
4. Department of Archaeological Studies Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia Mexico City Mexico
5. Department of Population Health and Disease Prevention University of California, Irvine Irvine California USA
Abstract
AbstractObjectivesDetermine the geographic place of origin and maternal lineage of prehistoric human skeletal remains discovered in Puyil Cave, Tabasco State, Mexico, located in a region currently populated by Olmec, Zoque and Maya populations.Materials and MethodsAll specimens were radiocarbon (14C) dated (beta analytic), had dental modifications classified, and had an analysis of 13 homologous reference points conducted to evaluate artificial cranial deformation (ACD). Following DNA purification, hypervariable region I (HVR‐1) of the mitogenome was amplified and Sanger sequenced. Finally, Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) was performed for total DNA. Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) variants and haplogroups were determined using BioEdit 7.2 and IGV software and confirmed with MITOMASTER and WebHome softwares.ResultsRadiocarbon dating (14C) demonstrated that the inhabitants of Puyil Cave lived during the Archaic and Classic Periods and displayed tabular oblique and tabular mimetic ACD. These pre‐Hispanic remains exhibited five mtDNA lineages: A, A2, C1, C1c and D4. Network analysis revealed a close genetic affinity between pre‐Hispanic Puyil Cave inhabitants and contemporary Maya subpopulations from Mexico and Guatemala, as well as individuals from Bolivia, Brazil, the Dominican Republic, and China.ConclusionsOur results elucidate the dispersal of pre‐Hispanic Olmec and Maya ancestors and suggest that ACD practices are closely related to Olmec and Maya practices. Additionally, we conclude that ACD has likely been practiced in the region since the Middle‐Archaic Period.
Funder
Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología
Subject
Paleontology,Archeology,Genetics,Anthropology,Anatomy,Epidemiology