Diversity of mtDNA and Y-Chromosome Variants in the Gene Pool of the Carriers of the Old Alei Culture (Firsovo-XIV Burial Ground)
Authors:   Institute of Cytology and Genetics SB RAS, S. Cherdantsev , R. Trapezov ,   Institute of Cytology and Genetics SB RAS, M. Tomilin ,   Institute of Cytology and Genetics SB RAS, I. Pilipenko ,   Institute of Cytology and Genetics SB RAS, D. Papin ,   Altai State University,   Institute of Archeology and Ethnography SB RAS, A. Fedoruk ,   Altai State University,   Institute of Archeology and Ethnography SB RAS, Ya. Frolov ,   Altai State University, S. Tur ,   Altai State University, A. Pilipenko ,   Institute of Cytology and Genetics SB RAS
Published: April 2022

This work continues the series of studies devoted to the analysis of the Scythian groups of the Upper Ob region and adjacent areas of Southern Siberia using paleogenetic methods, in particular, the study of the genetic composition and history of the formation of the gene pool of the carriers of the Old Alei culture. At the new stage of the study, we were able to quickly introduce new paleoanthropological materials from the Old Alei complexes of the Firsovo-XIV burial ground, discovered in 2020, into full-fledged scientific circulation by examining the structure of mtDNA in these samples. An in-depth analysis of the mtDNA series expanded in this way made it possible to confirm the participation in the formation of the mtDNA gene pool of the Old Aley population of two main genetic components - associated, respectively, with the autochthonous for the Early Iron Age genetic substrate of the foreststeppe belt of southern Siberia, and with the influence of carriers of the Scythian-Siberian circle of cultures from the territory of Altai-Sayan mountain system and adjacent regions of Southern Siberia. The first data on the Y-chromosome of the representatives of the male part of the Old Alei culture from the Firsovo-XIV burial ground (three samples belonging to the East Eurasian haplogroup Q, two of them to Q1a) provide only a fragmentary picture of the male gene pool, which requires further detailing. At this stage, we have not found the presence of phylogenetically contrasting variants in the male gene pool of the Old Alei population, as might be expected by analogy with the mtDNA gene pool. Most likely, the Old Alei variants of the Q1a haplogroup are of South Siberian origin, which generally correlates with mtDNA data. A more precise localization of the source of their origin within the south of Siberia at this stage of the study is difficult and will require an in-depth analysis of the structure of the identified variants of the Y chromosome. Preliminarily, it can be concluded that the first data on the Y chromosome, like mtDNA, did not allow us to trace signs of genetic influence on the Old Alei population of nomadic groups from more southern and southwestern regions, including the Scythian-Saka population from the territory of modern Kazakhstan. On the other hand, the data obtained allow us to assume the presence of some peculiarity of the Old Alei male gene pool in comparison with a number of early nomadic populations of Southern Siberia, adjusted for the small number of Y-chromosome samples studied by us.