Haplogroup U

Haplogroup U
Possible time of origin46,500 ± 3,300 years ago[1]
Possible place of originWest Asia,[2]
AncestorR
DescendantsU1, U5, U6, U2'3'4'7'8'9
Defining mutations11467, 12308, 12372[3]

Haplogroup U is a human mitochondrial DNA haplogroup (mtDNA). The clade arose from haplogroup R, likely during the early Upper Paleolithic. Its various subclades (labelled U1–U9, diverging over the course of the Upper Paleolithic) are found widely distributed across Northern and Eastern Europe, Central, Western and South Asia, as well as North Africa, the Horn of Africa, and the Canary Islands.

  1. ^ Behar et al. (2012), note the revised estimate of 42–58 key based on ancient DNA by Hervella et al. (2016).
  2. ^ Hervella et al. (2016) "Individuals carrying haplogroup U possibly spread westward from Western Asia around 39–52 ky, reaching Europe as signaled by haplogroup U5, and North Africa signaled by haplogroup U6"
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference vanOven was invoked but never defined (see the help page).