Presidential Lecture #12: Prof. Johannes Krause 

Been even my questions for so long, since I was a young girl..

21:10 Haplogroup DE is a human Y-chromosome DNA haplogroup. It is defined by the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) mutations, or UEPs, M1(YAP), M145(P205), M203, P144, P153, P165, P167, P183.[6] DE is unique because it is distributed in several geographically distinct clusters. An immediate subclade, haplogroup D (also known as D-CTS3946), is mainly found in East Asia, parts of Central Asia, and the Andaman Islands, but also sporadically in West Africa and West Asia. The other immediate subclade, haplogroup E, is common in Africa, and to a lesser extent the Middle East and Europe. The most well-known unique event polymorphism (UEP) that defines DE is the Y-chromosome Alu Polymorphism "YAP". The mutation was caused when a strand of DNA, known as Alu, inserted a copy of itself into the Y chromosome. *Hence, all Y chromosomes belonging to DE, D, E and their subclades are YAP-positive (YAP+). All Y chromosomes that belong to other haplogroups and subclades are YAP-negative (YAP-).* The age of haplogroup DE, previously estimated at between 65,000 and 71,000 years,[7] was later estimated at around 73,000 years [2] and most recently at around 76,000 years old.[3] ----- The scenarios outlined by Hammer include an out of Africa migration over 100,000 years ago, the YAP+ insertion on an Asian Y-chromosome 55,000 years ago and a back migration of YAP+ from Asia to Africa 31,000 years ago by its subclade haplogroup E.[26] This analysis was based on the fact that older African lineages, such as haplogroups A and B, were YAP negative whereas the younger lineage, haplogroup E was YAP positive. Haplogroup D, which is YAP positive, was clearly an Asian lineage, being found only in East Asia with high frequencies in the Andaman Islands, Japan and Tibet. Because the mutations that define haplogroup E were observed to be in the ancestral state in haplogroup D, and haplogroup D at 55kya, was considerably older than haplogroup E at 31kya, Hammer concluded that haplogroup E was a subclade of haplogroup D and migrated back to Africa.[26] A 2000 study concerning the origin of the YAP+ mutation analyzed 841 Y-chromosomes representing 36 human populations of wide geographical distribution for the presence of a Y-specific Alu insert (YAP+ chromosomes). They also analyzed the Out-of-Africa and out-of-Asia models for the YAP mutations. According to the authors, the most ancient YAP+ mutation was found in the Asian lineage of Tibetans, but curiously not in Japanese lineages. More recent YAP+ lineages were distributed almost equally in Asians and Africans, with a smaller distribution in Europe. The scientists concluded that the information available did not allow one to decide between the out-of-Asia or out-of-Africa models. They further suggested that the YAP+ mutation had already originated 141,000 years ago.[27] ----- A 2018 study, based on analyzing maternal and paternal markers, their current distribution, and inferences from the DNA of the Altai Neanderthals, argues for an Asian origin of paternal haplogroup DE and maternal haplogroup L3. The study suggests a back migration into Africa and a following admixture of the native Africans with immigrating peoples from Asia. It is suggested that DE originated about 70,000 years ago somewhere near Tibet and Central Asia. Additionally, the authors argue that the presence of DE* in Tibet, and that Tibet shows the greatest diversity concerning haplogroup D, supports the origin of DE* in this region. It is further argued that haplogroup E is of Asian origin and that the haploid diversity of haplogroup E supports a strong Eurasian male gene flow. The authors conclude that this supports an Asian origin and may also explain signals of small percentages of Neanderthal DNA found in northern and some western Africans.[33] A 2019 study by Haber et al. argues for an African origin for haplogroup DE*, based in part on the discovery of haplogroup D0 found in three Nigerians (according to the authors a branch of the DE lineage near the DE split but on the D branch), as well as on an analysis of y-chromosomal phylogeny, recently calculated haplogroup divergence dates and evidence for ancestral Eurasians outside Africa. The authors consider other possible scenarios, but conclude in favor of a model involving an African origin of hapologroup DE, with haplogroups E and D0 also originating in Africa, along with the migration out of Africa of the three lineages (C, D and FT) that now form the vast majority of non-African Y chromosomes. The authors find divergence times for DE*, E, and D0, all likely within a period of about 76,000-71,000 years ago, and a likely date for the exit of the ancestors of modern Eurasians out of Africa (and ensuing Neanderthal admixture) later around 50,300-59,400 years ago, which they argue, also supports an African origin for those haplogroups.[3]