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From: "Ron Scott" <>
Subject: Re: [DNA] Counting the founders: the matrilineal genetic ancestryofthe Jewish Diaspora
Date: Fri, 2 May 2008 00:00:57 -0500


List,

I've had a few moments tonight to read the Behar et al. 2008 paper, and my initial reaction, at least with respect to hg U, is this: I think these researchers need to compile their data with more care, then report it to PLoS.

For example: In their phylogenetic tree (journal.pone.0002062.s002.xls), which can be downloaded from PLoS, their sample 1118 (EF556153) is shown under U4a, when the sequence itself clearly shows it is NOT; it is probably what Ian Logan has indicated hg I.

Secondly, placing sample 1418 (EF556158) under U3b1a while ignoring the sequence AY882385, of which does NOT have A8812G, would suggest that the authors might ought to examine all of the available GenBank sequences. Does AY8822385 have a retro-mutation at np 3546? I'm not so sure.

Thirdly, let's look at hg U1: The authors completely ignore the GenBank sequences AY882397 and EF661008, of which contain the mutations T12879C, A13104G, A14070G, G15148A and A15954C, but do NOT contain C2218T and G14364A (defining, BTW, in my opinion, U1a). Are these aforementioned sequences U1b, as A. Achilli and G. Gasparre have labelled them or not? Sample IC06 (EF556194) is clearly NOT U1b, since it contains C2218T and G14364A. I would suggest, respectfully, that EF556194 is U1a*, while those that contain G4991A, G6026A and T7581C are U1a1 (cf. http://tinyurl.com/yyzgaa - under mtDNA, U1 phylogenetic diagram). I would also suggest that sample 1368 (EF556157) is U1a1d rather than U1a2, while EF692533 would be U1a1c, and, finally, the mutations T15115C and G15217A would define U1a1b.

Comments are welcome.

Ron Scott
U4b*







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