Haplogroup T (M70, M184, M193, M272) is a human Y-chromosome DNA haplogroup. From 2002 to 2008, it was known as Haplogroup K2.

Origins

"K2-M70 is believed to have originated in Asia after the emergence of the K-M9 polymorphism (45?30 ky) (Underhill et al. 2001a). As deduced from the collective data (Underhill et al. 2000; Cruciani et al. 2002; Semino et al. 2002; present study), K2-M70 individuals, at some later point, proceeded south to Africa. While these chromosomes are seen in relatively high frequencies in Egypt, Oman, Tanzania, Ethiopia, and Morocco, they are especially prominent in the Fulbe (18% [Scozzari et al. 1997, 1999]), presenting the highest concentration of this haplogroup found so far." (J. R. Luis et al., "The Levant versus the Horn of Africa: Evidence for Bidirectional Corridors of Human Migrations")

Distribution

Haplogroup T is present at low levels throughout Africa, Southwest Asia, South Asia, Southern Europe, and, at an even lower level, throughout Europe. Haplogroup T-M70 has been detected in 10.4% (21/201) of Somali, 8.3% (10/121) of Omani Arab, 8.2% (12/147) of Egyptian, and 7.2% (10/139) of Iraqi males.^[1][2][3]

Other regions that have been found to contain a significant proportion of haplogroup T individuals include South India (18/305 or 5.9%), United Arab Emirates (8/164 or 4.9%), Ethiopia (6/126 or 4.8%), Lebanon (43/914 or 4.7%), the Wairak Bantu in Tanzania (2/43 or 4.7%), East India (14/367 or 3.8%), South Iran (4/117 or 3.4%), Turkey (13/523 or 2.5%), and the Iberian Peninsula (16/629 or 2.5%).^{[4][5][6][7][8][9]} According to data from commercial testing, Italy may have the highest frequency of haplogroup T in Europe, with as many as 3.9% of Italian males belonging to this haplogroup.^[10] In Africa, however, the major cluster remains among the Fulbe at 18% (Scozzari et al. 1997, 1999). Approximately 3% of Sephardi Jews and 2% of Ashkenazi Jews belong to haplogroup T.^[11]

The distribution of haplogroup T in most parts of Europe is spotty or regionalized; for example, haplogroup T was found in 1.7% (10/591) of a pool of six samples of males from southwestern Russia, including Russians from Roslavl, Livny, Pristen, Repievka, and Belgorod and Kuban Cossacks from Adygea, but this haplogroup was completely absent from a pool of eight samples totalling 637 individuals from the northern half of European Russia.^[12]

Among populations of India, haplogroup T has been found to be particularly common among the Bauri, a Dalit caste of fishermen in East India, and the Kurru (also known as Yerukula), a Dravidian tribe of South India.^[13]

Famous members

A famous member of the T haplogroup is Thomas Jefferson; his Y-chromosomal complement received prominence through the Sally Hemings controversy.

References

External Links

• The Y-DNA Haplogroup K2 Project