Eurasian Adam
Encyclopedia
Eurasian Adam is a name given to the man who was the common male-line (patrilinial) ancestor of all men with the single nucleotide polymorphism
mutation on the Y chromosome
known as "M168". In other words he is the most recent common patrilineal ancestor of all men in Haplogroup CT
, the haplogroup which is defined by having a common ancestor who had M168.
According to current research, he probably lived in Africa and his descendants and his male line descendants are the only prehistoric one to survive outside of Africa into modern times. They also dominate the male population of Africa.
This term was developed in imitation of the concept of the more well-known "Y Chromosome Adam" indicating his important status as a second major point in human patrilineal history. However it is important to keep in mind that:
Single nucleotide polymorphism
A single-nucleotide polymorphism is a DNA sequence variation occurring when a single nucleotide — A, T, C or G — in the genome differs between members of a biological species or paired chromosomes in an individual...
mutation on the Y chromosome
Y chromosome
The Y chromosome is one of the two sex-determining chromosomes in most mammals, including humans. In mammals, it contains the gene SRY, which triggers testis development if present. The human Y chromosome is composed of about 60 million base pairs...
known as "M168". In other words he is the most recent common patrilineal ancestor of all men in Haplogroup CT
Haplogroup CT (Y-DNA)
In human genetics, Haplogroup CT is a Y-chromosome haplogroup, defining one of the major lines of common ancestry of humanity along father-to-son male lines.Men within this haplogroup have Y chromosomes with the SNP mutation M168, along with P9.1 and M294...
, the haplogroup which is defined by having a common ancestor who had M168.
According to current research, he probably lived in Africa and his descendants and his male line descendants are the only prehistoric one to survive outside of Africa into modern times. They also dominate the male population of Africa.
This term was developed in imitation of the concept of the more well-known "Y Chromosome Adam" indicating his important status as a second major point in human patrilineal history. However it is important to keep in mind that:
- Eurasian Adam is named this way only to indicate his status as a founding father of a large male line within humanity; his name is not meant to imply a correspondence with Biblical AdamAdamAdam is a figure in the Book of Genesis. According to the creation myth of Abrahamic religions, he is the first human. In the Genesis creation narratives, he was created by Yahweh-Elohim , and the first woman, Eve was formed from his rib...
. - Eurasian Adam would have been a distant descendant of Y-chromosomal AdamY-chromosomal AdamIn human genetics, Y-chromosomal Adam is the theoretical most recent common ancestor from whom all living people are descended patrilineally . Many studies report that Y-chromosomal Adam lived as early as around 142,000 years ago and possibly as recently as 60,000 years ago...
, the patrilineal most recent common ancestorMost recent common ancestorIn genetics, the most recent common ancestor of any set of organisms is the most recent individual from which all organisms in the group are directly descended...
(MRCA) of all living men. - This second scientific "Adam" would not have been the same man made who first had the M168 mutation. M168 is simply the mutation first discovered that distinguishes his male line from those in Haplogroups A and B.
- This man's surviving male line ancestors dominate all parts of the world, including Africa and America.
- This man's importance is only to do with pure unbroken father-to-son male lines of ancestry, not all ancestry, and so this man was not "the ancestor of all Eurasians" or "the ancestor of all Africans".
See also
- Most recent common ancestorMost recent common ancestorIn genetics, the most recent common ancestor of any set of organisms is the most recent individual from which all organisms in the group are directly descended...
- Y-chromosomal AdamY-chromosomal AdamIn human genetics, Y-chromosomal Adam is the theoretical most recent common ancestor from whom all living people are descended patrilineally . Many studies report that Y-chromosomal Adam lived as early as around 142,000 years ago and possibly as recently as 60,000 years ago...
- Y-chromosomal AaronY-chromosomal AaronY-chromosomal Aaron is the name given to the hypothesised most recent common ancestor of many of the patrilineal Jewish priestly caste known as Kohanim . In the Torah, this ancestor is identified as Aaron, the brother of Moses...
- Mitochondrial EveMitochondrial EveIn the field of human genetics, Mitochondrial Eve refers to the matrilineal "MRCA" . In other words, she was the woman from whom all living humans today descend, on their mother's side, and through the mothers of those mothers and so on, back until all lines converge on one person...
(African Eve) - Last universal ancestorLast universal ancestorThe last universal ancestor , also called the last universal common ancestor , or the cenancestor, is the most recent organism from which all organisms now living on Earth descend. Thus it is the most recent common ancestor of all current life on Earth...
- Coalescent theoryCoalescent theoryIn genetics, coalescent theory is a retrospective model of population genetics. It attempts to trace all alleles of a gene shared by all members of a population to a single ancestral copy, known as the most recent common ancestor...
- Genealogical DNA testGenealogical DNA testA genealogical DNA test examines the nucleotides at specific locations on a person's DNA for genetic genealogy purposes. The test results are not meant to have any informative medical value and do not determine specific genetic diseases or disorders ; they are intended only to give genealogical...
- Genetic genealogyGenetic genealogyGenetic genealogy is the application of genetics to traditional genealogy. Genetic genealogy involves the use of genealogical DNA testing to determine the level of genetic relationship between individuals.-History:...
- Haplogroup CT (Y-DNA)Haplogroup CT (Y-DNA)In human genetics, Haplogroup CT is a Y-chromosome haplogroup, defining one of the major lines of common ancestry of humanity along father-to-son male lines.Men within this haplogroup have Y chromosomes with the SNP mutation M168, along with P9.1 and M294...
- Human evolutionHuman evolutionHuman evolution refers to the evolutionary history of the genus Homo, including the emergence of Homo sapiens as a distinct species and as a unique category of hominids and mammals...
- Human Y-chromosome DNA haplogroupsHuman Y-chromosome DNA haplogroupsIn human genetics, a Human Y-chromosome DNA haplogroup is a haplogroup defined by differences in the non-recombining portions of DNA from the Y chromosome ....
- Neutral theory of molecular evolutionNeutral theory of molecular evolutionThe neutral theory of molecular evolution states that the vast majority of evolutionary changes at the molecular level are caused by random drift of selectively neutral mutants . The theory was introduced by Motoo Kimura in the late 1960s and early 1970s...
- Single origin hypothesis
- Timeline of evolutionTimeline of evolutionThis timeline of evolution of life outlines the major events in the development of life on planet Earth since it first originated until the present day. In biology, evolution is any change across successive generations in the heritable characteristics of biological populations...
- Timeline of human evolutionTimeline of human evolutionThe timeline of human evolution outlines the major events in the development of human species, and the evolution of humans' ancestors. It includes a brief explanation of some animals, species or genera, which are possible ancestors of Homo sapiens...