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Mitochondrial DNA analysis shows a Near Eastern Neolithic origin for domestic cattle and no indication of domestication of European aurochs

Edwards, CJ; Bollongino, R; Scheu, A; Chamberlain, A; Tresset, A; Vigne, JD; Baird, JF; Larson, G; Ho, SYW; Heupink, TH; Shapiro, B; Freeman, AR; Thomas, MG; Arbogast, RM; Arndt, B; Bartosiewicz, L; Benecke, N; Budja, M; Chaix, L; Choyke, AM; Coqueugniot, E; Dohle, HJ; Goldner, H; Hartz, S; Helmer, D; Herzig, B; Hongo, H; Mashkour, M; Ozdogan, M; Pucher, E; Roth, G; Schade-Lindig, S; Schmolcke, U; Schulting, RJ; Stephan, E; Uerpmann, HP; Voros, I; Voytek, B; Bradley, DG; Burger, J

Authors

CJ Edwards

R Bollongino

A Scheu

A Chamberlain

A Tresset

JD Vigne

JF Baird

G Larson

SYW Ho

TH Heupink

B Shapiro

AR Freeman

MG Thomas

RM Arbogast

B Arndt

L Bartosiewicz

N Benecke

M Budja

L Chaix

AM Choyke

E Coqueugniot

HJ Dohle

H Goldner

S Hartz

D Helmer

B Herzig

H Hongo

M Mashkour

M Ozdogan

E Pucher

G Roth

S Schade-Lindig

U Schmolcke

RJ Schulting

E Stephan

HP Uerpmann

I Voros

B Voytek

DG Bradley

J Burger



Abstract

The extinct aurochs (Bos primigenius primigenius) was a large type of cattle that ranged over almost the whole Eurasian continent. The aurochs is the wild progenitor of modern cattle, but it is unclear whether European aurochs contributed to this process. To provide new insights into the demographic history of aurochs and domestic cattle, we have generated high-confidence mitochondrial DNA sequences from 59 archaeological skeletal finds, which were attributed to wild European cattle populations based on their chronological date and/or morphology. All pre-Neolithic aurochs belonged to the previously designated P haplogroup, indicating that this represents the Late Glacial Central European signature. We also report one new and highly divergent haplotype in a Neolithic aurochs sample from Germany, which points to greater variability during the Pleistocene. Furthermore, the Neolithic and Bronze Age samples that were classified with confidence as European aurochs using morphological criteria all carry P haplotype mitochondrial DNA, suggesting continuity of Late Glacial and Early Holocene aurochs populations in Europe. Bayesian analysis indicates that recent population growth gives a significantly better fit to our data than a constant-sized population, an observation consistent with a postglacial expansion scenario, possibly from a single European refugial population. Previous work has shown that most ancient and modern European domestic cattle carry haplotypes previously designated T. This, in combination with our new finding of a T haplotype in a very Early Neolithic site in Syria, lends persuasive support to a scenario whereby gracile Near Eastern domestic populations, carrying predominantly T haplotypes, replaced P haplotype-carrying robust autochthonous aurochs populations in Europe, from the Early Neolithic onward. During the period of coexistence, it appears that domestic cattle were kept separate from wild aurochs and introgression was extremely rare.

Citation

Edwards, C., Bollongino, R., Scheu, A., Chamberlain, A., Tresset, A., Vigne, J., …Burger, J. (2007). Mitochondrial DNA analysis shows a Near Eastern Neolithic origin for domestic cattle and no indication of domestication of European aurochs. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 274(1616), 1377-1385. https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2007.0020

Journal Article Type Article
Publication Date Jun 1, 2007
Deposit Date Jul 1, 2009
Journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences
Print ISSN 0962-8452
Electronic ISSN 1471-2954
Publisher The Royal Society
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 274
Issue 1616
Pages 1377-1385
DOI https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2007.0020
Keywords ancient DNA, aurochs, starburst network, mitochondrial haplotypes, domestication

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