Ancient DNA from Iron Age Britain and Anglo-Saxon England, Hinxton

[Jackson]

Heard about this on another forum, been waiting for this to occur. It's yet to be released, but looking forward to reading the full text. Only a handful of samples, but it's an interesting start.

http://www.ashg.org/2014meeting/abstracts/fulltext/f140122098.htm

Insights into British and European population history from ancient DNA sequencing of Iron Age and Anglo-Saxon samples from Hinxton, England. S. Schiffels1, W. Haak2, B. Llamas2, E. Popescu3, L. Loe4, R. Clarke3, A. Lyons3, P. Paajanen1, D. Sayer5, R. Mortimer3, C. Tyler-Smith1, A. Cooper2, R. Durbin1 1) Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Cambridge, United Kingdom; 2) Australian Centre for Ancient DNA, University of Adelaide, Australia; 3) Oxford Archaeology East, Cambridge, United Kingdom; 4) Oxford Archaeology South, Oxford, United Kingdom; 5) University of Central Lancashire, Preston, United Kingdom.

British population history is shaped by a complex series of repeated immigration periods and associated changes in population structure. It is an open question however, to what extent each of these changes is reflected in the genetic ancestry of the current British population. Here we use ancient DNA sequencing to help address that question. We present whole genome sequences generated from five individuals that were found in archaeological excavations at the Wellcome Trust Genome Campus near Cambridge (UK), two of which are dated to around 2,000 years before present (Iron Age), and three to around 1,300 years before present (Anglo-Saxon period). Good preservation status allowed us to generate one high coverage sequence (12x) from an Iron Age individual, and four low coverage sequences (1x-4x) from the other samples.
By providing the first ancient whole genome sequences from Britain, we get a unique picture of the ancestral populations in Britain before and after the Anglo-Saxon immigrations. We use modern genetic reference panels such as the 1000 Genomes Project to examine the relationship of these ancient samples with present day population genetic data. Results from principal component analysis suggest that all samples fall consistently within the broader Northern European context, which is also consistent with mtDNA haplogroups. In addition, we obtain a finer structural genetic classification from rare genetic variants and haplotype based methods such as FineStructure. Reflecting more recent genetic ancestry, results from these methods suggest significant differences between the Iron Age and the Anglo-Saxon period samples when compared to other European samples. We find in particular that while the Anglo-Saxon samples resemble more closely the modern British population than the earlier samples, the Iron Age samples share more low frequency variation than the later ones with present day samples from southern Europe, in particular Spain (1000GP IBS). In addition the Anglo-Saxon period samples appear to share a stronger older component with Finnish (1000GP FIN) individuals. Our findings help characterize the ancestral European populations involved in major European migration movements into Britain in the last 2,000 years and thus provide more insights into the genetic history of people in northern Europe.

[Jackson]

So it seems to me it's a somewhat more north-eastern population than the modern one meeting a somewhat more south-western one than the current population, which makes a lot of sense.

[Black Wolf]

Indeed that does make sense given what we know about the origins of the Anglo-Saxons. Initially they were probably quite North Germanic/Scandinavian like genetically

[Jackson]

Indeed that does make sense given what we know about the origins of the Anglo-Saxons. Initially they were probably quite North Germanic/Scandinavian like genetically

I had thought that the Iron Age lowland British would come out more south-western than the modern population, even if only a little. As given recent estimates for a roughly 50/50 or 60/40 genetic divide in England, that scenario makes the most sense, as we should be a little more northern than we are if the Iron Age inhabitants were more similar to modern Scots or Irish. Of course that is assuming that something on the same scale has not happened to Scotland and Ireland, but they seem at least to be predominantly descended from the folks there in the Iron Age. I would guess they were similar to modern day northern French, but that is pure speculation of course until the full thing can be read. I'm also glad they stayed in the same location for both periods.

[Äijä]

Indeed that does make sense given what we know about the origins of the Anglo-Saxons. Initially they were probably quite North Germanic/Scandinavian like genetically

Clearly the Anglians where Mongoloids. :rolleyes:


In addition the Anglo-Saxon period samples appear to share a stronger older component with Finnish (1000GP FIN) individuals.

[Artek]

Iron Age individual should likely be close to the Irish or Welsh minus their germanic influences whereas I guess that Anglo-Saxon sample should be somewhere inbetween English and Dutch people.
However, there are high differences in coverage of genetic sequence so I wonder how it can disrupt a comparison.

[Jackson]

Iron Age individual should likely be close to the Irish or Welsh minus their germanic influences whereas I guess that Anglo-Saxon sample should be somewhere inbetween English and Dutch people.
However, there are high differences in coverage of genetic sequence so I wonder how it can disrupt a comparison.

Although it does say in the abstract that the Iron Age individuals have a larger southern/southwestern European component than the later sample (which is the closer of the two to the modern population), so i take that to mean that the Iron Age population would be slightly more south-western than the Irish (who tend to be slightly more northern than modern English), although i don't know how the Welsh are in relation to the Irish and English as they seem to be included less often unfortunately.

[Artek]

Although it does say in the abstract that the Iron Age individuals have a larger southern/southwestern European component than the later sample (which is the closer of the two to the modern population), so i take that to mean that the Iron Age population would be slightly more south-western than the Irish (who tend to be slightly more northern than modern English)
Yes. That's why I have a suspicion that modern Irish may "suffer" from viking-like influx and not exactly be entirely representative, although still quite close to the Iron Age population of that region. So the question is "how much".

although i don't know how the Welsh are in relation to the Irish and English as they seem to be included less often unfortunately.
Unfortunately indeed. I don't have any PCAs with Welsh on my computer and I don't feel like searching for it, since they aren't commonly included.

[Peikko]

The connection to Finland could be something related to proto-Germanics.

[Graham]

The pca might look in this way..

http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g156/irnbru293/brtain2_zps7c30b47f.pnghttp://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g156/irnbru293/Britain_zpsa4f0d36a.pnghttp://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g156/irnbru293/celtic_zpsdd64fd67.png

[Jackson]

The connection to Finland could be something related to proto-Germanics.

I think so, i noticed that with Eurogenes K=12 (I think it was) and other ones that generally include a 'North Sea' component, the only non-Germanic speaking population in which that is a dominant autosomal component were Finns, or at least some Finns. And a little while back there was also one in which Finns were used to create a component, and that was the major component in most Germanic-speaking countries (the secondary one being one that is basically dominant along the Atlantic coastline), can't remember exactly when that was, but there is definitely a connection, and i presume it is something picked up on here. Unless they mentioned the Finns because they are modal for a north-European component, that is greater in the Early Medieval group than in the Iron Age group.

Just going off memory here but i'll have a look a bit later and find out which Eurogenes runs these were.

[anglisc]

What is the difference in ydna and autosomal DNA between west and east england?