Fine-scale genomic analyses of admixed individuals reveal unrecognized genetic ancestry components in Argentina

PLoS One. 2020 Jul 16;15(7):e0233808. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0233808. eCollection 2020.

Abstract

Similarly to other populations across the Americas, Argentinean populations trace back their genetic ancestry into African, European and Native American ancestors, reflecting a complex demographic history with multiple migration and admixture events in pre- and post-colonial times. However, little is known about the sub-continental origins of these three main ancestries. We present new high-throughput genotyping data for 87 admixed individuals across Argentina. This data was combined to previously published data for admixed individuals in the region and then compared to different reference panels specifically built to perform population structure analyses at a sub-continental level. Concerning the Native American ancestry, we could identify four Native American components segregating in modern Argentinean populations. Three of them are also found in modern South American populations and are specifically represented in Central Andes, Central Chile/Patagonia, and Subtropical and Tropical Forests geographic areas. The fourth component might be specific to the Central Western region of Argentina, and it is not well represented in any genomic data from the literature. As for the European and African ancestries, we confirmed previous results about origins from Southern Europe, Western and Central Western Africa, and we provide evidences for the presence of Northern European and Eastern African ancestries.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Argentina
  • Black People / ethnology
  • Black People / genetics*
  • Colonialism
  • DNA / genetics
  • Enslavement
  • Genetic Markers
  • Genetic Variation
  • Genetics, Population
  • Genome, Human*
  • Genotype
  • Human Migration
  • Humans
  • Indians, South American / ethnology
  • Indians, South American / genetics*
  • Marriage*
  • Models, Genetic
  • Pedigree*
  • White People / ethnology
  • White People / genetics*

Substances

  • Genetic Markers
  • DNA

Grants and funding

This project has been founded by FONCyT) - ANPCyT (grants PICT2014-1597 attributed to HD and PICT3655-2016 attributed to PL) and CONICET (grant PIP 0208/14 attributed to HD and VR). FONCyT: Fondo para la Investigación Científica. https://convocatoriasfoncyt.mincyt.gob.ar/ ANPCyT: Agencia Nacional de Promoción Científica y Tecnológica. https://www.argentina.gob.ar/ciencia/agencia CONICET: Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. https://www.conicet.gov.ar/ Biocódices provided support in the form of part-time employment salaries for authors HD, JMB and JZ. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.”