Mitochondrial DNA Studies

  • Mirochondrion in cellFour Native American haplotypes (A-D) found in 50% of Mongolians

  • North American HVS-1 haplotype found in 50-70% of Siberians

  • Genetic studies set the date for the origination of these haplotypes at 20,000 - 30,000 years ago

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Slide 36 of 56


Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is a small amount of DNA that is contained within the mitochondria (the chemical powerhouses of the cell). Since only nuclear DNA is transferred from the sperm to fertilize the egg, all the mtDNA comes from the mother.

One study analyzed mtDNA in 42 Mongolians from Ulan Bator. All four Amerindian founding lineage haplotypes were detected in 54% of these 42 individuals, demonstrating an Asian origin.1 A second study examined mtDNA hypervariable segment I (HVS-1) from the Tuvinians and Buryats, two aboriginal populations of South Siberia. This study found that these populations expressed the four Native American-specific haplogroups (A-D) at frequencies of 72.2% and 55%.2

Another study, using 720 Amerindian mtDNA sequences, showed that Native Americans’ ancestral-population differentiation occurred approximately 22,000 years ago,3 well before the time frame given in the Book of Mormon. Other studies have set the date for the founding haplogroups at 34,000 years ago.4 A study of mtDNA from 108 individuals from 700 year old burial site confirmed the founding populations originated 23,000-37,000 years ago.5


References Top of page

  1. Merriwether DA, Hall WW, Vahlne A, Ferrell RE. 1996. mtDNA variation indicates Mongolia may have been the source for the founding population for the New World. Am J Hum Genet 59:204-212.

  2. Derenko MV, Malyarchuk BA, Dambueva IK, Shaikhaev GO, Dorzhu CM, Nimaev DD, Zakharov IA. 2000. Mitochondrial DNA variation in two South Siberian Aboriginal populations: implications for the genetic history of North Asia. Hum. Biol. 72:945-973.

  3. SL Bonatto and FM Salzano. 1997. Diversity and Age of the Four Major mtDNA Haplogroups, and Their Implications for the Peopling of the New World. Am. J. Hum. Genet. 61:1413-1423.

  4. YB Starikovskaya, RI Sukernik, TG Schurr, AM Kogelnik, and DC Wallace. 1998. mtDNA Diversity in Chukchi and Siberian Eskimos: Implications for the Genetic History of Ancient Beringia and the Peopling of the New World. Am. J. Hum. Genet. 63:1473-1491.

  5. AC Stone and M Stoneking. 1998. mtDNA Analysis of a Prehistoric Oneota Population: Implications for the Peopling of the New World. Am. J. Hum. Genet. 62:1153-1170.