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Haplogroup J2 (Y-DNA)
Encyclopedia
In human genetics
, Haplogroup J2 (M172) is a Y-chromosome
haplogroup
which is a subdivision of haplogroup J
. It is further divided into two complementary clades, J2a-M410 and J2b-M12.
.
"The main spread of J2 into the Mediterranean area is thought to have coincided with the expansion of agricultural peoples during the Neolithic period." The age of J2 has been estimated as 18,500 +/- 3,500 years ago. Its distribution, centered in Western Asia and Southeastern Europe, its association with the presence of Neolithic
archaeological artifacts, such as figurines and painted pottery, and its association with annual precipitation
have been interpreted as evidence that J2, and in particular its J2a-M410 subclade belonged to the agricultural innovators who followed the rainfall. However, Di Giacomo stressed the role of post-Neolithic migratory phenomenon, specifically that of the Ancient Greeks, as also being important in the dispersal of Hg J2.
Haplogroup J2 is found mainly in the Fertile Crescent
, the Caucasus
, Anatolia
, the Balkans
, Italy
, the Mediterranean
littoral, and the Iranian plateau
.
The highest reported frequency of J2 ever was 87,4%, among Ingush
in Malgobek.
More specifically it is found in Iraq
, Syria
, Lebanon
, Turkey
, Georgia
, Azerbaijan
, North Caucasus
, Armenia
, Iran
, Israel
, Palestine
, Cyprus
, Greece
, Albania
, Italy
, and Spain
, and more frequently in Iraqis 30%, Cypriots
30%, Chechens
55.2% Lebanese
25%, South Ossetians 24%, Balkars
24%, Syrians 23%, Georgians
21%-33%, Turks
13%-40%, Armenians
21%-24%, Iranians
10%-25%, Albanians
16%-24%, Italians 9%-36%, Sephardi Jews
15%-29%, Maltese
21%, Palestinians 17%, Saudis
16%, Jordanians
14%, and Oman
is 10%-15%.
J2 is found at very high frequencies in the peoples of the Caucasus
- among the Georgians
21%-72%, Azeris
24%-48%, Avars
5%, Ingush
32%, Chechens
55.2% Abkhaz
25%, Balkars
24%, South Ossetians 24%, Armenians
21%-24%, and other groups.
In Europe
, the frequency of Haplogroup J2 drops dramatically as one moves northward away from the Mediterranean. In Italy
, J2 is found with regional frequencies ranging between 9% and 36%. In Greece
, it is found with regional frequencies ranging between 10% and 48%. Approximately 24% of Turkish men are J2 according to a recent study, with regional frequencies ranging between 13% and 40%. Combined with J1
, up to half of the Turkish population belongs to Haplogroup J
.
It has been proposed that haplogroup subclade J2a-M410 was linked to populations on ancient Crete by examining the relationship between Anatolia
n, Cretan
, and Greek
populations from around early Neolithic sites. Haplogroup J2b-M12 was associated with Neolithic
Greece
(ca. 8500 - 4300 BCE) and was reported to be found in modern Crete (3.1%) and mainland Greece (Macedonia 7.0%, Thessaly
8.8%, Argolis
1.8%).
Sephardi Jews have about 15%-29%, of haplogroup J2, and Ashkenazi Jews have 15%-23%. It was reported in an early study which tested only four STR markers that a small sample of Italian Cohen
s belonged to Network 1.2, an early designation for the overall clade now known as J2a4, defined by the deletion at DYS413. However, a large number of all Jewish Cohens in the world belong to haplogroup J1 (see Cohen modal haplotype).
J2 subclades are also found in Central Asia
, and South Asia
.
Haplogroup J2 has been shown to have a more northern distribution in the Middle East, although it exists in significant amounts in the southern middle-east regions, a lesser amount of it was found when compared to its brother haplogroup, J1, which has a high frequency southerly distribution. This suggests that, if the occurrence of Haplogroup J among modern populations of Europe, Central Asia, and South Asia does reflect Neolithic demic diffusion
from the Middle East, the source population is more likely to have originated from Anatolia
, the Levant
or northern Mesopotamia
than from regions further south.
Haplogroup J2a-M410 in India was found to be largely confined to the castes with no occurrence in the tribals, but a new study has found it at higher percentages (10%) among the Tharu indigenous people of Terai
, Nepal
. In India, the J2 haplogroup is almost absent from tribals. The frequency of J2 is higher in South Indian castes (19%) than in North Indian castes (11%) or Pakistan (12%). Haplogroup J was found to be even more common in India's Shia Muslim community, of which 28.7% belong to haplogroup J, with 13.7% in J2a-M410, 10.6% in J1 and 4.4% in J2b. The high variance of J2b2 in South Asia indicates a probable pre-Neolithic migration.
The following gives a summary of most of the studies which specifically tested for J2, showing its distribution in Europe, North Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia.
s of Haplogroup J with their defining mutations, according to the ISOGG tree (as of April 2009). Note that the descent-based identifiers may be subject to change, as new SNPs are discovered that augment and clarify the tree.
Human genetics
Human genetics describes the study of inheritance as it occurs in human beings. Human genetics encompasses a variety of overlapping fields including: classical genetics, cytogenetics, molecular genetics, biochemical genetics, genomics, population genetics, developmental genetics, clinical genetics,...
, Haplogroup J2 (M172) is a 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...
haplogroup
Haplogroup
In the study of molecular evolution, a haplogroup is a group of similar haplotypes that share a common ancestor having the same single nucleotide polymorphism mutation in both haplotypes. Because a haplogroup consists of similar haplotypes, this is what makes it possible to predict a haplogroup...
which is a subdivision of haplogroup J
Haplogroup J (Y-DNA)
In human genetics, Haplogroup J is a Y-chromosome DNA haplogroup. It is one of the major male lines of all living men...
. It is further divided into two complementary clades, J2a-M410 and J2b-M12.
Origins
Haplogroup J2 is widely believed to be associated with the spread of agriculture from MesopotamiaMesopotamia
Mesopotamia is a toponym for the area of the Tigris–Euphrates river system, largely corresponding to modern-day Iraq, northeastern Syria, southeastern Turkey and southwestern Iran.Widely considered to be the cradle of civilization, Bronze Age Mesopotamia included Sumer and the...
.
"The main spread of J2 into the Mediterranean area is thought to have coincided with the expansion of agricultural peoples during the Neolithic period." The age of J2 has been estimated as 18,500 +/- 3,500 years ago. Its distribution, centered in Western Asia and Southeastern Europe, its association with the presence of Neolithic
Neolithic
The Neolithic Age, Era, or Period, or New Stone Age, was a period in the development of human technology, beginning about 9500 BC in some parts of the Middle East, and later in other parts of the world. It is traditionally considered as the last part of the Stone Age...
archaeological artifacts, such as figurines and painted pottery, and its association with annual precipitation
Precipitation (meteorology)
In meteorology, precipitation In meteorology, precipitation In meteorology, precipitation (also known as one of the classes of hydrometeors, which are atmospheric water phenomena is any product of the condensation of atmospheric water vapor that falls under gravity. The main forms of precipitation...
have been interpreted as evidence that J2, and in particular its J2a-M410 subclade belonged to the agricultural innovators who followed the rainfall. However, Di Giacomo stressed the role of post-Neolithic migratory phenomenon, specifically that of the Ancient Greeks, as also being important in the dispersal of Hg J2.
Distribution
Fertile Crescent
The Fertile Crescent, nicknamed "The Cradle of Civilization" for the fact the first civilizations started there, is a crescent-shaped region containing the comparatively moist and fertile land of otherwise arid and semi-arid Western Asia. The term was first used by University of Chicago...
, the Caucasus
Caucasus
The Caucasus, also Caucas or Caucasia , is a geopolitical region at the border of Europe and Asia, and situated between the Black and the Caspian sea...
, Anatolia
Anatolia
Anatolia is a geographic and historical term denoting the westernmost protrusion of Asia, comprising the majority of the Republic of Turkey...
, the Balkans
Balkans
The Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, the Mediterranean
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
littoral, and the Iranian plateau
Iranian plateau
The Iranian plateau, or Iranic plateau, is a geological formation in Southwest Asia. It is the part of the Eurasian Plate wedged between the Arabian and Indian plates, situated between the Zagros mountains to the west, the Caspian Sea and the Kopet Dag to the north, the Hormuz Strait and Persian...
.
The highest reported frequency of J2 ever was 87,4%, among Ingush
Ingush people
The Ingush are a native ethnic group of the North Caucasus, mostly inhabiting the Russian republic of Ingushetia. They refer to themselves as Ghalghai . The Ingush are predominantly Sunni Muslims and speak the Ingush language...
in Malgobek.
More specifically it is found in Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
, Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
, Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, Georgia
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
, Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to...
, North Caucasus
North Caucasus
The North Caucasus is the northern part of the Caucasus region between the Black and Caspian Seas and within European Russia. The term is also used as a synonym for the North Caucasus economic region of Russia....
, Armenia
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
, Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
, Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
, Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
, Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
, Albania
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, and Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, and more frequently in Iraqis 30%, Cypriots
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
30%, Chechens
Chechen people
Chechens constitute the largest native ethnic group originating in the North Caucasus region. They refer to themselves as Noxçi . Also known as Sadiks , Gargareans, Malkhs...
55.2% Lebanese
Lebanese people
The Lebanese people are a nation and ethnic group of Levantine people originating in what is today the country of Lebanon, including those who had inhabited Mount Lebanon prior to the creation of the modern Lebanese state....
25%, South Ossetians 24%, Balkars
Balkars
The Balkars are a Turkic people of the Caucasus region, one of the titular populations of Kabardino-Balkaria. They are possibly Bulgars or are descended from them...
24%, Syrians 23%, Georgians
Georgians
The Georgians are an ethnic group that have originated in Georgia, where they constitute a majority of the population. Large Georgian communities are also present throughout Russia, European Union, United States, and South America....
21%-33%, Turks
Turkish people
Turkish people, also known as the "Turks" , are an ethnic group primarily living in Turkey and in the former lands of the Ottoman Empire where Turkish minorities had been established in Bulgaria, Cyprus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Greece, Kosovo, Macedonia, and Romania...
13%-40%, Armenians
Armenians
Armenian people or Armenians are a nation and ethnic group native to the Armenian Highland.The largest concentration is in Armenia having a nearly-homogeneous population with 97.9% or 3,145,354 being ethnic Armenian....
21%-24%, Iranians
Demographics of Iran
Iran's population increased dramatically during the later half of the 20th century, reaching about 75 million by 2011. In recent years, however, Iran's birth rate has dropped significantly. Studies project that Iran's rate of population growth will continue to slow until it stabilizes above 100...
10%-25%, Albanians
Albanians
Albanians are a nation and ethnic group native to Albania and neighbouring countries. They speak the Albanian language. More than half of all Albanians live in Albania and Kosovo...
16%-24%, Italians 9%-36%, Sephardi Jews
Sephardi Jews
Sephardi Jews is a general term referring to the descendants of the Jews who lived in the Iberian Peninsula before their expulsion in the Spanish Inquisition. It can also refer to those who use a Sephardic style of liturgy or would otherwise define themselves in terms of the Jewish customs and...
15%-29%, Maltese
Maltese people
The Maltese are an ethnic group indigenous to the Southern European nation of Malta, and identified with the Maltese language. Malta is an island in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea...
21%, Palestinians 17%, Saudis
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
16%, Jordanians
Jordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
14%, and Oman
Oman
Oman , officially called the Sultanate of Oman , is an Arab state in southwest Asia on the southeast coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by the United Arab Emirates to the northwest, Saudi Arabia to the west, and Yemen to the southwest. The coast is formed by the Arabian Sea on the...
is 10%-15%.
J2 is found at very high frequencies in the peoples of the Caucasus
Caucasus
The Caucasus, also Caucas or Caucasia , is a geopolitical region at the border of Europe and Asia, and situated between the Black and the Caspian sea...
- among the Georgians
Georgians
The Georgians are an ethnic group that have originated in Georgia, where they constitute a majority of the population. Large Georgian communities are also present throughout Russia, European Union, United States, and South America....
21%-72%, Azeris
Azerbaijani people
The Azerbaijanis are a Turkic-speaking people living mainly in northwestern Iran and the Republic of Azerbaijan, as well as in the neighbourhood states, Georgia, Russia and formerly Armenia. Commonly referred to as Azeris or Azerbaijani Turks , they also live in a wider area from the Caucasus to...
24%-48%, Avars
Caucasian Avars
Avars or Caucasian Avars are a modern people of Caucasus, mainly of Dagestan, in which they are the predominant group. The Caucasian Avar language belongs to the Northeast Caucasian language family ....
5%, Ingush
Ingush people
The Ingush are a native ethnic group of the North Caucasus, mostly inhabiting the Russian republic of Ingushetia. They refer to themselves as Ghalghai . The Ingush are predominantly Sunni Muslims and speak the Ingush language...
32%, Chechens
Chechen people
Chechens constitute the largest native ethnic group originating in the North Caucasus region. They refer to themselves as Noxçi . Also known as Sadiks , Gargareans, Malkhs...
55.2% Abkhaz
Abkhaz people
The Abkhaz or Abkhazians are a Caucasian ethnic group, mainly living in Abkhazia, a disputed region on the Black Sea coast. A large Abkhazian diaspora population resides in Turkey, the origins of which lie in the emigration from the Caucasus in the late 19th century known as Muhajirism...
25%, Balkars
Balkars
The Balkars are a Turkic people of the Caucasus region, one of the titular populations of Kabardino-Balkaria. They are possibly Bulgars or are descended from them...
24%, South Ossetians 24%, Armenians
Armenians
Armenian people or Armenians are a nation and ethnic group native to the Armenian Highland.The largest concentration is in Armenia having a nearly-homogeneous population with 97.9% or 3,145,354 being ethnic Armenian....
21%-24%, and other groups.
In Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, the frequency of Haplogroup J2 drops dramatically as one moves northward away from the Mediterranean. In Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, J2 is found with regional frequencies ranging between 9% and 36%. In Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
, it is found with regional frequencies ranging between 10% and 48%. Approximately 24% of Turkish men are J2 according to a recent study, with regional frequencies ranging between 13% and 40%. Combined with J1
Haplogroup J1 (Y-DNA)
In human genetics, Y DNA haplogroup J1, also known as J-M267, is a sub-haplogroup of Y DNA haplogroup J, along with its sibling clade Y DNA haplogroup J2. Men with this type of Y DNA share a common paternal ancestry, which is demonstrated and defined by the presence of the SNP mutation referred to...
, up to half of the Turkish population belongs to Haplogroup J
Haplogroup J (Y-DNA)
In human genetics, Haplogroup J is a Y-chromosome DNA haplogroup. It is one of the major male lines of all living men...
.
It has been proposed that haplogroup subclade J2a-M410 was linked to populations on ancient Crete by examining the relationship between Anatolia
Anatolia
Anatolia is a geographic and historical term denoting the westernmost protrusion of Asia, comprising the majority of the Republic of Turkey...
n, Cretan
Crete
Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece. It forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece while retaining its own local cultural traits...
, and Greek
Greeks
The Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world....
populations from around early Neolithic sites. Haplogroup J2b-M12 was associated with Neolithic
Neolithic
The Neolithic Age, Era, or Period, or New Stone Age, was a period in the development of human technology, beginning about 9500 BC in some parts of the Middle East, and later in other parts of the world. It is traditionally considered as the last part of the Stone Age...
Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
(ca. 8500 - 4300 BCE) and was reported to be found in modern Crete (3.1%) and mainland Greece (Macedonia 7.0%, Thessaly
Thessaly
Thessaly is a traditional geographical region and an administrative region of Greece, comprising most of the ancient region of the same name. Before the Greek Dark Ages, Thessaly was known as Aeolia, and appears thus in Homer's Odyssey....
8.8%, Argolis
Argolis
Argolis is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the region of Peloponnese. It is situated in the eastern part of the Peloponnese peninsula.-Geography:...
1.8%).
Sephardi Jews have about 15%-29%, of haplogroup J2, and Ashkenazi Jews have 15%-23%. It was reported in an early study which tested only four STR markers that a small sample of Italian Cohen
Cohen (surname)
Cohen is a Jewish surname of biblical origins . It is a very common Jewish surname, comparable to 'Smith' in an English-language context....
s belonged to Network 1.2, an early designation for the overall clade now known as J2a4, defined by the deletion at DYS413. However, a large number of all Jewish Cohens in the world belong to haplogroup J1 (see Cohen modal haplotype).
J2 subclades are also found in Central Asia
Central Asia
Central Asia is a core region of the Asian continent from the Caspian Sea in the west, China in the east, Afghanistan in the south, and Russia in the north...
, and South Asia
South Asia
South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...
.
Haplogroup J2 has been shown to have a more northern distribution in the Middle East, although it exists in significant amounts in the southern middle-east regions, a lesser amount of it was found when compared to its brother haplogroup, J1, which has a high frequency southerly distribution. This suggests that, if the occurrence of Haplogroup J among modern populations of Europe, Central Asia, and South Asia does reflect Neolithic demic diffusion
Demic diffusion
Demic diffusion is a demographic term referring to a migratory model developed by Cavalli-Sforza, that consists of population diffusion into and across an area previously uninhabited by that group, possibly, but not necessarily, displacing, replacing, or intermixing with a pre-existing population...
from the Middle East, the source population is more likely to have originated from Anatolia
Anatolia
Anatolia is a geographic and historical term denoting the westernmost protrusion of Asia, comprising the majority of the Republic of Turkey...
, the Levant
Levant
The Levant or ) is the geographic region and culture zone of the "eastern Mediterranean littoral between Anatolia and Egypt" . The Levant includes most of modern Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Israel, the Palestinian territories, and sometimes parts of Turkey and Iraq, and corresponds roughly to the...
or northern Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia is a toponym for the area of the Tigris–Euphrates river system, largely corresponding to modern-day Iraq, northeastern Syria, southeastern Turkey and southwestern Iran.Widely considered to be the cradle of civilization, Bronze Age Mesopotamia included Sumer and the...
than from regions further south.
Haplogroup J2a-M410 in India was found to be largely confined to the castes with no occurrence in the tribals, but a new study has found it at higher percentages (10%) among the Tharu indigenous people of Terai
Terai
The Terai is a belt of marshy grasslands, savannas, and forests located south of the outer foothills of the Himalaya, the Siwalik Hills, and north of the Indo-Gangetic Plain of the Ganges, Brahmaputra and their tributaries. The Terai belongs to the Terai-Duar savanna and grasslands ecoregion...
, Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
. In India, the J2 haplogroup is almost absent from tribals. The frequency of J2 is higher in South Indian castes (19%) than in North Indian castes (11%) or Pakistan (12%). Haplogroup J was found to be even more common in India's Shia Muslim community, of which 28.7% belong to haplogroup J, with 13.7% in J2a-M410, 10.6% in J1 and 4.4% in J2b. The high variance of J2b2 in South Asia indicates a probable pre-Neolithic migration.
The following gives a summary of most of the studies which specifically tested for J2, showing its distribution in Europe, North Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia.
| Country/Region | Sampling | N | J2 | Study |
| Algeria | Oran | 102 | 4.9 | Robino et al. (2008) |
| Bosnia-Herzegovina | Serbs | 81 | 8.7 | Battaglia et al. (2009) |
| Caucasus | Abkhaz | 58 | 13.8 | Balanovsky et al. (2011) |
| Caucasus | Avar | 115 | 6 | Balanovsky et al. (2011) |
| Caucasus | Chechen | 330 | 57 | Balanovsky et al. (2011) |
| Caucasus | Circassians | 142 | 21.8 | Balanovsky et al. (2011) |
| Caucasus | Dargins | 101 | 1 | Balanovsky et al. (2011) |
| Caucasus | Ingush | 143 | 88.8 | Balanovsky et al. (2011) |
| Caucasus | Kaitak | 33 | 3 | Balanovsky et al. (2011) |
| Caucasus | Kubachi | 65 | 0 | Balanovsky et al. (2011) |
| Caucasus | Lezghins | 81 | 2.5 | Balanovsky et al. (2011) |
| Caucasus | Ossets | 357 | 16 | Balanovsky et al. (2011) |
| Caucasus | Shapsug | 100 | 6 | Balanovsky et al. (2011) |
| Caucasus | 1525 | 28.1 | Balanovsky et al. (2011) | |
| Cyprus | 164 | 12.9 | El-Sibai et al. (2009) | |
| Egypt | 124 | 7.6 | El-Sibai et al. (2009) | |
| Egypt | 147 | 12.0 | Abu-Amero et al. (2009) | |
| Europe | Ashkenazim Jewish | 442 | 19 | Behar et al. (2004) |
| Greece | 154 | 18.1 | El-Sibai et al. (2009) | |
| Greece | Crete | 143 | 35 | El-Sibai et al. (2009) |
| Iberia | 655 | 7 | Fregel et al. (2009) | |
| Iberia | 1140 | 7.7 | Adams et al. (2008) | |
| Iran | 92 | 25 | El-Sibai et al. (2009) | |
| Iraq | 117 | 25.1 | El-Sibai et al. (2009) | |
| Israel | Akka | 101 | 18.6 | El-Sibai et al. (2009) |
| Italy | Sicily | 212 | 22.6 | El-Sibai et al. (2009) |
| Italy | Mainland | 699 | 20 | Capelli et al. (2007) |
| Italy | Central Marche | 59 | 35.6 | Capelli et al. (2007) |
| Italy | West Calabria | 57 | 35.1 | Capelli et al. (2007) |
| Italy | Val Badia | 34 | 8.8 | Capelli et al. (2007) |
| Jordan | 273 | 14.6 | El-Sibai et al. (2009) | |
| Lebanon | 951 | 29.4 | El-Sibai et al. (2009) | |
| Malta | 90 | 21.1 | El-Sibai et al. (2009) | |
| Oman | 121 | 10.0 | Abu-Amero et al. (2009) | |
| Morocco | 221 | 4.1 | Fregel et al. (2009) | |
| North Africa | Algeria, Tunisia | 202 | 3.5 | Fregel et al. (2009) |
| Pakistan | 176 | 11.9 | Abu-Amero et al. (2009) | |
| Portugal | North, Center, South | 303 | 6.9 | El-Sibai et al. (2009) |
| Portugal | Tras-os-Montes (Jews) | 57 | 24.5 | Nogueiro et al. (2010) |
| Qatar | 72 | 8.3 | El-Sibai et al. (2009) | |
| Sardinia | 81 | 9.9 | El-Sibai et al. (2009) | |
| Saudi Arabia | 157 | 15.9 | Abu-Amero et al. (2009) | |
| Spain | Mallorca | 62 | 8.1 | El-Sibai et al. (2009) |
| Spain | Sevilla | 155 | 7.8 | El-Sibai et al. (2009) |
| Spain | Leon | 60 | 5 | El-Sibai et al. (2009) |
| Spain | Ibiza | 54 | 3.7 | El-Sibai et al. (2009) |
| Spain | Cantabria | 70 | 2.9 | El-Sibai et al. (2009) |
| Spain | Galicia | 292 | 13 | Brion et al. (2004) |
| Spain | Canary Islands | 652 | 10.5 | Fregel et al. (2009) |
| Syria | Syria | 554 | 20.8 | El-Sibai et al. (2009) |
| Tunisia | Tunisia | 62 | 8 | El-Sibai et al. (2009) |
| Turkey | 523 | 24.2 | El-Sibai et al. (2009) | |
| UAE | 164 | 10.3 | El-Sibai et al. (2009) | |
| Yemen | 62 | 9.6 | El-Sibai et al. (2009) | |
Subclades
Haplogroup J2 is subdivided into two complementary sub-haplogroups: J2a, defined by the M410 genetic marker, and J2b, defined by the M12 genetic marker.Tree
Below are the subcladeSubclade
In genetics, subclade is a term used to describe a subgroup of a subgenus or haplogroup. It is commonly used today in describing genealogical DNA tests of human mitochondrial DNA haplogroups and human Y-chromosome DNA haplogroups....
s of Haplogroup J with their defining mutations, according to the ISOGG tree (as of April 2009). Note that the descent-based identifiers may be subject to change, as new SNPs are discovered that augment and clarify the tree.
- J2 (M172) Typical of populations of the Near EastNear EastThe Near East is a geographical term that covers different countries for geographers, archeologists, and historians, on the one hand, and for political scientists, economists, and journalists, on the other...
, Southeast EuropeSoutheast EuropeSoutheast Europe or Southeastern Europe is a relatively recent political designation for the states of the Balkans. Writers such as Maria Todorova and Vesna Goldsworthy have suggested the use of the term Southeastern Europe to replace the word Balkans for the region, to minimize potential...
, Southwest AsiaSouthwest AsiaWestern Asia, West Asia, Southwest Asia or Southwestern Asia are terms that describe the westernmost portion of Asia. The terms are partly coterminous with the Middle East, which describes a geographical position in relation to Western Europe rather than its location within Asia...
and the CaucasusCaucasusThe Caucasus, also Caucas or Caucasia , is a geopolitical region at the border of Europe and Asia, and situated between the Black and the Caspian sea...
, with a moderate distribution through much of Central AsiaCentral AsiaCentral Asia is a core region of the Asian continent from the Caspian Sea in the west, China in the east, Afghanistan in the south, and Russia in the north...
, South AsiaSouth AsiaSouth Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...
, and North AfricaNorth AfricaNorth Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
- J2*
- J2a (M410)
- J2a* Found in GeorgiaGeorgia (country)Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
(Svan)DYS 434=7; Found in North Ossetia DYS 438=7 ; - J2a1 (not currently in use by ISOGG)
- J2a2 (M340)
- J2a3 (P279)
- J2a4 (DYS413≤18, L26/S57, L27)
- J2a4*
- J2a4a (M47, M322) Found with low frequency in GeorgiaGeorgia (country)Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
, southern IranIranIran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
, QatarQatarQatar , also known as the State of Qatar or locally Dawlat Qaṭar, is a sovereign Arab state, located in the Middle East, occupying the small Qatar Peninsula on the northeasterly coast of the much larger Arabian Peninsula. Its sole land border is with Saudi Arabia to the south, with the rest of its...
, Saudi ArabiaSaudi ArabiaThe Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
, SyriaSyriaSyria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
, TunisiaTunisiaTunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
, TurkeyTurkeyTurkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, the UAEUnited Arab EmiratesThe United Arab Emirates, abbreviated as the UAE, or shortened to "the Emirates", is a state situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman, and Saudi Arabia, and sharing sea borders with Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iran.The UAE is a...
, and Central AsiaCentral AsiaCentral Asia is a core region of the Asian continent from the Caspian Sea in the west, China in the east, Afghanistan in the south, and Russia in the north...
/SiberiaSiberiaSiberia is an extensive region constituting almost all of Northern Asia. Comprising the central and eastern portion of the Russian Federation, it was part of the Soviet Union from its beginning, as its predecessor states, the Tsardom of Russia and the Russian Empire, conquered it during the 16th... - J2a4b (M67) formerly J2f
- J2a4b* Highest frequencies associated with Nakh peoplesNakh peoplesNakh peoples are a group of historical and modern ethnic groups speaking Nakh languages and sharing certain cultural traits...
. Found at very high (majority) frequencies among Ingush in Malgobek (87.4%), Chechens in Dagestan (58%), Chechens in Chechnya (56.8%) and Chechens in Malgobek, Ingushetia (50.9%). In the Caucasus, it is found at significant frequencies among Georgians (13.3%), Iron Ossetes (11.3%), South Caucasian Balkars (6.3%), Digor Ossetes (5.5%), Abkhaz (6.9%), Cherkess (5.6%). It is also found at notable frequencies in the Meditteranean and Middle East, including Cretans (10.2%), North-central Italians (9.6%), Southern Italians (4.2%; only 0.8% among N. Italians), Anatolian Turks (2.7-5.4%), Greeks (4-4.3%), Albanians (3.6%), Ashkenazi Jews (4.9%), Sephardis (2.4%), Catalans (3.9%), Andalusians (3.2%), Calabrians (3.3%), Albanian Calabrians (8.9%). - J2a4b1 (M92, M260)
- J2a4b1*
- J2a4b1a (M327)
- J2a4b2 (M163, M166)
- J2a4b* Highest frequencies associated with Nakh peoples
- J2a4c (M68)
- J2a4d (M319) Found with low to moderate frequency in CretanCreteCrete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece. It forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece while retaining its own local cultural traits...
GreeksGreeksThe Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world....
, Iraqi Jews, and Moroccan Jews - J2a4e (M339)
- J2a4f (M419)
- J2a4g (P81)
- J2a4h (L24)
- J2a4h*
- J2a4h1 (L25)
- J2a4h1*
- J2a4h1a (DYS445≤7)
- J2a4h1a*
- J2a4h1a1 (L70)
- J2a4h1a1*
- J2a4h1a1a (M137)
- J2a4h1a1b (M289) (location under DYS445≤7 uncertain)
- J2a4h1a1c (M318)
- J2a4h2 (M158) (location under L24 uncertain) Found with low frequency in TurkeyTurkeyTurkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, South AsiaSouth AsiaSouth Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...
, and IndochinaIndochinaThe Indochinese peninsula, is a region in Southeast Asia. It lies roughly southwest of China, and east of India. The name has its origins in the French, Indochine, as a combination of the names of "China" and "India", and was adopted when French colonizers in Vietnam began expanding their territory...
- J2a* Found in Georgia
- J2b (M12, M102, M221, M314)
- J2b*
- J2b1 (M205)
- J2b2 (M241)
- J2b2*
- J2b2a (M99)
- J2b2b (M280)
- J2b2c (M321)
- J2b2d (P84)
- J2b2e (DYS455≤9)