Mitochondrial super-haplogroup U diversity in Serbians

AbstractBackground: Available mitochondrial (mtDNA) data demonstrate genetic differentiation among South Slavs inhabiting the Balkan Peninsula. However, their resolution is insufficient to elucidate the female-specific aspects of the genetic history of South Slavs, including the genetic impact of various migrations which were rather common within the Balkans, a region having a turbulent demographic history.Aim: The aim was to thoroughly study complete mitogenomes of Serbians, a population linking westward and eastward South Slavs.Subjects and methods: Forty-six predominantly Serbian super-haplogroup U complete mitogenomes were analysed phylogenetically against ∼4000 available complete mtDNAs of modern and ancient Western Eurasians.Results: Serbians share a number of U mtDNA lineages with Southern, Eastern-Central and North-Western Europeans. Putative Balkan-specific lineages (e.g. U1a1c2, U4c1b1, U5b3j, K1a4l and K1a13a1) and lineages shared among Serbians (South Slavs) and West and East Slavs were detect...