Iberian People Received Minor Genetic Input from Steppe Invaders

Studies have been conducted on the genome of individuals living on the Iberian Peninsula in the Bronze Age. It has been found that they had minor genetic input from Steppe invaders. It suggested that migrations played little role in the make-up of genes and culture of Iberian people.

The findings were reported by Daniel Bradley and Rui Martiniano of Trinity College Dublin, Ireland and Ana Maria Silva of University of Coimbra, Portugal on 27^th July, 2017 in PLOS Genetics. The people from the Steppe regions of Eastern Europe and Asia frequently migrated to Central and Northern Europe between Middle Neolithic (4200-3500 BC) and the Middle Bronze Age (1740-1430 BC). The changes in culture and funeral rituals of this time were studied but no one looked at the genomic impact of such an influx.

Thus, researchers sequenced genomes of 14 individuals residing in Portugal during Neolithic and Bronze Ages. These were then compared with other ancient and modern genomes. The results came up with subtle changes in the genetic make-up of this time.

By: Bhavna Sharma

Content: www.sciencedaily.com