Statistical evaluation of alternative models of human evolution.

Details

Serval ID
serval:BIB_131A12AF1402
Type
Article: article from journal or magazin.
Collection
Publications
Institution
Title
Statistical evaluation of alternative models of human evolution.
Journal
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Author(s)
Fagundes N.J., Ray N., Beaumont M., Neuenschwander S., Salzano F.M., Bonatto S.L., Excoffier L.
ISSN
0027-8424 (Print)
ISSN-L
0027-8424
Publication state
Published
Issued date
2007
Peer-reviewed
Oui
Volume
104
Number
45
Pages
17614-17619
Language
english
Notes
Publication types: Journal Article ; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Publication Status: ppublish
Abstract
An appropriate model of recent human evolution is not only important to understand our own history, but it is necessary to disentangle the effects of demography and selection on genome diversity. Although most genetic data support the view that our species originated recently in Africa, it is still unclear if it completely replaced former members of the Homo genus, or if some interbreeding occurred during its range expansion. Several scenarios of modern human evolution have been proposed on the basis of molecular and paleontological data, but their likelihood has never been statistically assessed. Using DNA data from 50 nuclear loci sequenced in African, Asian and Native American samples, we show here by extensive simulations that a simple African replacement model with exponential growth has a higher probability (78%) as compared with alternative multiregional evolution or assimilation scenarios. A Bayesian analysis of the data under this best supported model points to an origin of our species approximately 141 thousand years ago (Kya), an exit out-of-Africa approximately 51 Kya, and a recent colonization of the Americas approximately 10.5 Kya. We also find that the African replacement model explains not only the shallow ancestry of mtDNA or Y-chromosomes but also the occurrence of deep lineages at some autosomal loci, which has been formerly interpreted as a sign of interbreeding with Homo erectus.
Keywords
Africa, Animals, Asia, Biological Evolution, Biometry, DNA/genetics, DNA/isolation & purification, Demography, Genetic Variation, Geography, Hominidae/genetics, Humans/genetics, Models, Biological, Molecular Sequence Data
Pubmed
Web of science
Open Access
Yes
Create date
19/11/2007 9:33
Last modification date
20/08/2019 12:41
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