Mitochondrial DNA in Ancient Human Populations of Europe

................................................................................................... 10 Thesis declaration .................................................................................... 11 Acknowledgments ................................................................................... 12 General Introduction .............................................................................. 14 RECONSTRUCTING PAST HUMAN POPULATION HISTORY USING MODERN MITOCHONDRIAL DNA .................................................................... 15 Mitochondrial DNA: presentation ........................................................................ 15 Studying mitochondrial variation ......................................................................... 16 Genetic variation ........................................................................................ 16 Phylogenetics and phylogeography ........................................................... 16 Dating using molecular data, and its limits ............................................... 17 Population genetics .................................................................................... 19 The coalescent theory and coalescent simulations .................................... 21 Reconstructing past genetic history of Europeans using mitochondrial data ....... 23 African origins of humans ......................................................................... 23 Out-of-Africa ............................................................................................. 25 Genetic origins of Europeans .................................................................... 26 Limits of modern DNA studies ................................................................. 29 RECONSTRUCTING PAST HUMAN POPULATION HISTORY USING ANCIENT DNA ....................................................................................................... 29 First ancient DNA studies .................................................................................... 30 The nature of ancient DNA .................................................................................. 30 Post-mortem degradation of DNA ............................................................. 31 Contamination ........................................................................................... 33 Authenticating ancient DNA data ........................................................................ 34 Survival of DNA................................................................................................... 38 Applications of ancient DNA ............................................................................... 39 Phylogeny and phylogeography of extant and extinct species .................. 40