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Mitochondrial DNA analysis of human remains from the Yuansha site in Xinjiang, China

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Abstract

The Yuansha site is located in the center of the Taklimakan Desert of Xinjiang, in the southern Silk Road region. MtDNA was extracted from fifteen human remains excavated from the Yuansha site, dating back 2,000–2,500 years. Analysis of the phylogenetic tree and the multidimensional scaling (MDS) reveals that the Yuansha population has relatively close relationships with the modern populations of South Central Asia and Indus Valley, as well as with the ancient population of Chawuhu.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Ancient DNA, Research Center for Chinese Frontier Archaeology, Jilin University, Changchun, 130012, China

    Gao ShiZhu, Cui YinQiu, Yang YiDai, Duan RanHui, Zhu Hong & Zhou Hui

  2. College of Life Science, Jilin University, Changchun, 130023, China

    Cui YinQiu & Zhou Hui

  3. School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, China

    Gao ShiZhu

  4. Xinjiang Cultural Relics and Archaeology Institute, Urumqi, 830011, China

    Idelisi Abuduresule

  5. Chinese Language and Literature Department of East Asian Languages and Civilizations, University of Pennsylvania, USA

    Victor H. Mair

Authors
  1. Gao ShiZhu
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  2. Cui YinQiu
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  3. Yang YiDai
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  4. Duan RanHui
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  5. Idelisi Abuduresule
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  6. Victor H. Mair
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  7. Zhu Hong
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  8. Zhou Hui
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Zhou Hui.

Additional information

Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. J0530184) and the “985” Foundation of Jilin University

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Gao, S., Cui, Y., Yang, Y. et al. Mitochondrial DNA analysis of human remains from the Yuansha site in Xinjiang, China. Sci. China Ser. C-Life Sci. 51, 205–213 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11427-008-0034-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11427-008-0034-8

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