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Measuring mitochondrial DNA diversity and demographic patterns of tribal and caste populations from the Northeast Indian State of Assam

Rej, Peter H
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1378113115

Abstract Details

2013, MA, University of Cincinnati, Arts and Sciences: Anthropology.
In an effort to place the Northeast Indian state of Assam in the overall scheme of Indian mitochondrial (mtDNA) diversity, I used sequence information from the hypervariable region of the mtDNA molecule (HVR-1 and HVR-2), along with select diagnostic mutations from the mtDNA coding region. Focusing on both the tribal (Ahom, Sonowal Kachari, and Rabha) and caste (Assamese) populations of Assam, I have made a number of inferences on the population history and cultural practices of the populations in our study, finding that the people of Assam predominantly express autochthonous Indian haplogroups (M, M2, M3, M4, M5, M6, R5), but also express a higher degree of East Asian markers (A, F, D, M7, M8, M9, and B) due to their close proximity to South China and Southeast Asia. A general lack of Northern Chinese, Tai, and Indo-European ancestral markers, however, led me to concluded that many of the population migrations to Assam were male specific; the Tai speaking Ahom in particular reflect next to no Southeast Asian specific haplotypes, indicative of their 13th century male specific migration. In general, I found that haplogroup affiliation was more closely associated with geographical location rather than ethnolinguistic heritage. This study also identified two novel haplogroups: one subhaplogroup was found within macrohaplogroup M, the other in haplogroup R. Both novel haplogroups were discovered in the Rabha, an ethnically Tibeto-Burmese tribe hailing from Lower Assam.
Heather Norton, Ph.D. (Committee Chair)
Ranjan Deka, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
130 p.
Genetics
mtDNA; Demography; haplogroup; Assam; Northeast India

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Rej, P. H. (2013). Measuring mitochondrial DNA diversity and demographic patterns of tribal and caste populations from the Northeast Indian State of Assam [Master's thesis, University of Cincinnati]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1378113115

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Rej, Peter. Measuring mitochondrial DNA diversity and demographic patterns of tribal and caste populations from the Northeast Indian State of Assam. 2013. University of Cincinnati, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1378113115.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Rej, Peter. "Measuring mitochondrial DNA diversity and demographic patterns of tribal and caste populations from the Northeast Indian State of Assam." Master's thesis, University of Cincinnati, 2013. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1378113115

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

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This open access ETD is published by University of Cincinnati and OhioLINK.