RUI-Amerindian mtDNA Sequence Haplotypes in the Dominican Republic: A Look at Taino Prehistory

这个RUI项目旨在启发我们对伊斯帕尼奥拉岛和波多黎各的土著人民之间存在的遗传关系的时间接触。 历史和考古材料表明，在接触时期，阿拉瓦克文化在两个岛屿上占主导地位，两个岛屿上的一些强人之间存在亲属关系。 然而，两个岛屿的人口遗传学，甚至岛屿内群体之间的遗传学可能没有什么关系。关于这些岛屿的多样性、大陆起源和第一批殖民者（缺乏制陶技术的狩猎采集者）的下落的考古学和人类学研究尚无定论。 关于从中美洲或北美洲到南美洲的迁徙路线的理论很多，关于其范围和重叠程度的建议也非常不同。 最常见的一种理论认为，波多黎各西部和伊斯帕尼奥拉岛东部至少有一些重叠。 陶瓷，阿拉瓦坎文化繁荣首先在波多黎各从随后的移民从南美洲。 到公元600年，它产生了奥斯蒂安陶器制造者，他们的技术在此后不久被引入伊斯帕尼奥拉岛。 有人提出，一些移民从波多黎各伴随其分散到伊斯帕尼奥拉岛。 也有人提议从南美洲大陆直接移民。 新来者渗入伊斯帕尼奥拉岛的程度在很大程度上仍然未知。 由于无法确定岛屿内部和岛屿之间各群体之间的遗传关系，西班牙编年史中所述各群体之间的政治和社会互动起源理论的进展受到阻碍。 这也使人们对这些岛屿现代人口中基因型的美洲印第安人部分可能存在的遗传分化产生了疑问，它显示美洲印第安人线粒体DNA（mtDNA）的频率为23%，（多米尼加共和国）和61%（波多黎各）。单倍群-从波多黎各的121个现代美洲印第安人mtDNA的控制区序列构建的特定中值网络已经确定了假定的创始人在史前不同时期到达波多黎各的单倍型。 在这个项目中，498个来自多米尼加共和国的mtDNA将通过RFLP进行分型，从美洲印第安人mtDNA的控制区序列构建的中值网络将识别mtDNA分支及其假定的创始人单倍型。 将建立者的序列单倍型与文献中的其他单倍型进行比较，以确定其大陆起源。 他们还将与来自波多黎各的人进行比较，以寻找共同的创始人。 在这种情况下，迁移的方向可以从核苷酸多样性和每个岛屿中的分支的合并时间来确定。 还将寻找与波多黎各共享的单倍型，因为在一个岛上衍生的单倍型可能是另一个岛上的创始人。 在这种情况下，移徙的方向将得到明确的说明。 史前的人口扩张将通过不匹配分布分析来揭示，并通过中值网络用估计的年代来证实。 由于波多黎各的一些现代美洲印第安人mtDNA已经与陶瓷时代相关联，它们在伊斯帕尼奥拉岛的频率将导致对可能伴随着奥斯蒂安制陶技术迁移到伊斯帕尼奥拉岛的程度的估计。这一项目的科学价值在于，它将通过推动在该领域使用分子遗传分析，加强以加勒比史前殖民为重点的人类学和考古学研究。该项目的更广泛的影响是，它将通过向五名波多黎各荣誉本科生提供分子人类学领域的校内研究经验和培训，使本科生的选择和兴趣多样化，这些学生将开始大学三年级的学习，并根据对研究的承诺和对加入博士学位的兴趣进行选择。与人类学，进化论或人口遗传学相关的领域的课程。 此外，这一项目将促进本机构与多米尼加共和国阿尔托斯德沙翁地区考古博物馆之间的国际合作。

This RUI project aims to enlighten us on the genetic relationships that existed between the native peoples of Hispaniola and Puerto Rico at the time of contact. Historical and archaeological material show that an Arawakan culture predominated in both islands at the time of contact and that kinship existed between some strongmen in both islands. However, the genetics of the populations of both islands and even between groups within islands could have bared little relationship. Archaeological and anthropological studies on the diversity, the continental origin and the whereabouts of the first colonizers of these islands, hunter-gatherers who lacked ceramic technology, are inconclusive. Theories abound on migratory routes stemming from Central America or North America on one side and South America on the other, the extent and overlap of which are proposed to exceedingly various degrees. One of the most common theories proposes at least some overlap in western Puerto Rico and eastern Hispaniola. The ceramic, Arawakan culture flourished first in Puerto Rico from subsequent migrations from South America. By 600 A.D., it gave rise to Ostionan-pottery makers whose technology was introduced shortly thereafter into Hispaniola. It is proposed that some migration from Puerto Rico accompanied its dispersal into Hispaniola. Direct migration from the South American mainland by this time has also been proposed. The extent of the introgression of newcomers into Hispaniola remains largely unknown. The fact that the genetic relationships between groups within and between islands cannot be ascertained stymies the advancement of theories on the genesis of the political and social interactions that the Spanish chronicles reported between them. It also brings into question the genetic differentiation that may exist in the Amerindian portion of the genotypes in the modern populations of these islands, which have shown Amerindian mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) frequencies of 23% (Dominican Republic) and 61% (Puerto Rico).Haplogroup-specific median networks constructed from control region sequences of 121 modern Amerindian mtDNAs in Puerto Rico have identified putative founder haplotypes arriving to Puerto Rico at different times in prehistory. In this project, 498 mtDNAs from the Dominican Republic will be typed by RFLP, and median networks constructed from control region sequences of Amerindian mtDNAs will identify mtDNA clades and their putative founder haplotypes. Sequence haplotypes of founders will be compared to others in the literature in an attempt to determine their continental origin. They will also be compared to those from Puerto Rico in search of founders in common. In such a case, the direction of migration may be determined from the nucleotide diversity and the coalescent time of the clades in each island. Haplotypes shared with Puerto Rico will also be sought, as a haplotype derived in one island could be a founder in the other. In that case, the direction of migration would be unambiguously indicated. Prehistoric demographic expansions will be revealed by mismatch distribution analyses and confirmed with estimated datings through median networks. As some modern Amerindian mtDNAs in Puerto Rico have already been associated to the Ceramic Age, their frequency in Hispaniola will lead toward an estimate of the extent of the migration into Hispaniola that presumably accompanied the Ostionan-pottery making technology. The scientific merit of this project is that it will reinforce anthropological and archaeological studies focused on the prehistoric colonization of the Caribbean by advancing the use of molecular genetic analysis in the field. The broader impact of the project is that it will diversify undergraduate student options and interests by providing on-campus research experience and training in the field of molecular anthropology to five Puerto Rican honor undergraduates starting their third year in college, and selected based on a demonstrated commitment to research and a manifested interest to join Ph.D. programs in fields related to anthropology, evolution, or population genetics. In addition, this project will further international cooperation between our institution and the Archaeological Regional Museum Altos de Chavon in the Dominican Republic.