Doctoral Dissertation Research: Genetic Diversity of the Colonial Chesapeake: Insights into Kinship and the Trans-Atlantic Colonization of the United States

这个博士论文项目将调查亲属关系在塑造当今人类遗传多样性模式中的影响，并探索散居在美国的非洲人的祖先。研究人员将描述17世纪马里兰州、弗吉尼亚州和特拉华州切萨皮克殖民地的考古个体和后代群体的基因组多样性。该项目的跨学科方法将来自过去和当代后代人口的DNA数据与考古、档案和历史信息相结合，以更好地了解过去的人口过程如何塑造今天的基因变异。研究人员将与历史和家谱学会密切合作，并举办外展研讨会，讨论遗传学的应用，以告知历史、家庭和个人家谱研究问题。这些讲习班将有助于成人学习者的公共科学教育，提高围绕解释遗传祖先结果的科学素养。研究人员将对遗传变异进行历时分析，以评估亲属关系在殖民背景下塑造人类遗传多样性模式方面的影响。他们将与历史和家谱学会合作，招募150名与17世纪切萨皮克殖民地有谱系联系的研究参与者，并使用基因芯片2.0微阵列表征线粒体DNA、Y染色体和常染色体SNP变异。还将对来自两个考古遗址的29个个体进行完整的线粒体和全核基因组鸟枪测序，这两个考古遗址分别是Patuxent Point(1650-1680，马里兰州)和Avery‘s Rest(1680-1710，特拉华州)。这些样本群体中的遗传祖先模式和内婚制水平将被表征，以确定地理起源和可能的亲属关系。这些结果将提供对欧洲殖民的前100年的人口动态和切萨皮克地区殖民的遗传遗产的洞察，并提供17世纪欧洲殖民者和北美殖民时期被奴役的非洲人的古代DNA数据。这一奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This doctoral dissertation project will investigate the impact of kinship in shaping patterns of present-day human genetic diversity and explore ancestries of individuals in the African diaspora in the United States. The investigators will characterize the genomic diversity of archaeological individuals and descendant populations from the 17th century Chesapeake colonies of Maryland, Virginia, and Delaware. This project's interdisciplinary approach combines DNA data from past and contemporary descendant populations with archeological, archival and historical information to better understand how demographic processes in the past have shaped present-day genetic variation. The investigators will work closely with historical and genealogical societies and hold outreach workshops discussing the application of genetics to inform historical, family, and personal genealogical research questions. These workshops will contribute to public science education for adult learners, enhancing scientific literacy surrounding the interpretation of genetic ancestry results.The investigators will conduct a diachronic assay of genetic variation to assess the impact of kinship in shaping patterns of human genetic diversity in colonization contexts. They will collaborate with historical and genealogical societies to recruit 150 study participants with genealogical ties to the 17th century Chesapeake colonies and characterize mitochondrial DNA, Y-chromosome and autosomal SNP variation using the GenoChip 2.0 microarray. Complete mitochondrial and whole nuclear genome shotgun sequencing will also be conducted on 29 individuals from two archaeological sites, Patuxent Point (1650-1680, Maryland) and Avery's Rest (1680-1710, Delaware). Patterns of genetic ancestry and levels of endogamy within these sample populations will be characterized to determine geographic origins and possible kin relations. The results will provide insights into the population dynamics of the first 100 years of European colonization and the genetic legacy of colonization in the Chesapeake region, and provide ancient DNA data from 17th century European colonists and enslaved African individuals from colonial North America.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.