By Jide Uwechia with cited sources
The Benin Haplogroup or Haplogroup 19 Common in Africans, southern Greeks, Sicilians, and Albanians
There are at least four distinct African, (known as Senegal, Congo, Benin, Bantu Hbs Haplogroups) and one Asian chromosomal backgrounds (haplotypes) on which the sickle cell mutation has arisen.
The Benin haplotype (which originates from Nigeria, West Africa) accounts for HbS associated chromosomes in Sicily Northern Greece, Southern Turkey, and South West Saudi Arabia, suggesting that these genes had their origin in West Africa. The Asian haplotype is rarely encountered outside its geographic origin because there have been few large population movements and Indian emigrants have been predominantly from non HbS containing populations. Per:Graham R. Serjeant, MD, FRCP, The Geography Of Sickle Cell Disease:Opportunities For Understanding Its DiversityRSITY: http://www.kfshrc.edu.sa/annals/143/rev9239.html
Nigeria, west Africa appears the most logical origin of the sickle mutation in Greece evidence from beta S globin gene cluster polymorphisms (1991). It has been conclusively demonstrated that HbS in Greece is mostly haplotype #19 (the one that originated in Benin, Nigeria West Africa). See, Boussiou M, Loukopoulos D, Christakis J, Fessas P.; The origin of the sickle mutation in Greece; evidence from beta S globin gene cluster polymorphisms. Unit for Prenatal Diagnosis, Laikon Hospital, Athens, Greece.
Additionally, previous data suggest that the S/Bantu haplotype (from Southern Africa) is heterogeneous at the molecular level. Recent studies also report a similar heterogenity for the Benin Haplogroup. A study demonstrated the presence of the A -499 TA variation in sickle cell anemia chromosomes of Sicilian and North African origin bearing the S/Benin haplotype (from Nigeria). Being absent from North American S/Benin chromosomes, which were studied previously, this variation is indicative for the molecular heterogeneity of the S/Benin haplotype. Am. J. Hematol. 80:79-80, 2005.
A study was done in Albania (which borders Greece) relating to sickle cell anemia, sickle cell beta-thalassemia, and thalassemia major in Albania. The focus of the study was the characterization of sickle cell mutations. As one would expect, it was shown that the HbS mutation in the Albanian sample is the Benin (Nigeria)-originating haplotype #19. See, Boletini E, Svobodova M, Divoky V, Baysal E, Dimovski AJ, Liang R, Adekile AD, Huisman TH.; Sickle cell anemia, sickle cell beta-thalassemia, and thalassemia major in Albania: characterization of mutations. : Hum Genet. 1994 Feb;93(2):182-7.
According to a study done in 1973, before the availability of the advanced data cited above, “the occurrence of the sickle-cell trait in southern Europe …. is believed to reflect gene flow from the Middle East.” See A. P. GELPI, M.D, “Migrant Populations and the Diffusion of the Sickle-Cell Gene” August 1, 1973 vol. 79 no. 2 258-264 http://www.annals.org/content/79/2/258.abstract.
The problem with this 1973 study is that it assumes that the sickle cell genes came with the Arabs. Alas, updated research work has proven beyond doubt that the sickle cell genes proven to exist in southern Europe are exclusively Sickle cell gene Haplotype 19 or the Benin Sickle cell gene from Nigeria.
Y Haplogroup E-M78 and YAP In Black Africans and Greeks
Y Haplogroup E-M78 a derivative of E3B is a signature African gene as confirmed in research studies over the last few years. The high frequency of this haplogroup in Greece suggests the presence of a substantive African population in that region during prehistoric and historical time periods.
A recent paper has detected clades of haplogroups J and E3b that were likely not part of pre-historic migrations into Europe, but rather spread by later historical movements. Greeks .. [then there is] the marker J-M267, which may reflect more recent Middle Eastern admixture.
(Semino et al., Am J Hum Genet, 2004) E3b originates from East Africa while there is a high frequency of J-M267 in the East Coast of Africa as well as the Red sea coast of Arabia.
A recent sampling of the Greek population comprised 36 Peloponnesian samples, 5 of which were J-M172(xM12) and 17 of which were E-M78 (R.K., unpublished data).
In spite of the small Peloponnesian sample size, the high E-M78 frequency (47%) observed here is consistent with that (44%) independently found in the same region (Di Giacomo et al. 2003) for the YAP chromosomes harboring microsatellite haplotypes A. (Novelletto, personal communication) (Cruciani et al. 2004).
The study by by Di Giacomo et al. found the following African haplogroups in Greeks: Haplogroup A which is highly specific to West Africa, R1a, DE, and J2*(xDYS413= 18)J*(xJ2). R1* which probably gave rise to R1a is found in Northern Cameroon. DE is found principally among Nigerians and it is suspected that it originated from Nigeria. J is very prominent in East, and North Africa.
High-resolution Y-chromosome haplotyping and particular microsatellite associations reveal … an East Africa homeland for E-M78.Origin. See Ornella Semino, Chiara Magri, et al “Diffusion, and Differentiation of Y-Chromosome Haplogroups E and J: Inferences on the Neolithization of Europe and Later Migratory Events in the Mediterranean Area” http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?tool=pubmed&pubmedid=15069642
HLA Genetic Relationship Between Ancient Greeks and Black Africans
HLA genes are reliable markers of past population movement and are still used in laboratories today to establish genetic inter-relationship amongst seemingly diverse peoples.
HLA genes in Macedonians and the sub-Saharan origin of the Greeks (2001) was a study conducted by Dr. Arniaz and other scholars in a top flying Spanish University. This study uses HLA genes to establish the African dimension of the roots of ancient Greece.
According to the Arniaz study, …Greeks are found to have a substantial relatedness to sub-Saharan (Ethiopian) people, which separate them from other Mediterranean groups. Both Greeks and Ethiopians share quasi-specific DRB1 alleles, such as *0305, *0307, *0411, *0413, *0416, *0417, *0420, *1110, *1112, *1304 and *1310. Genetic distances are closer between Greeks and Ethiopian/sub-Saharan groups than to any other Mediterranean group and finally Greeks cluster with Ethiopians/sub-Saharans in both neighbour joining dendrograms and correspondence analyses. The time period when these relationships might have occurred was ancient but uncertain and might be related to the displacement of Egyptian-Ethiopian people living in pharaonic Egypt. See Arnaiz-Villena A, et.al: HLA genes in Macedonians and the sub-Saharan origin of the Greeks. Tissue Antigens. 2001 Feb; 57(2): 118-27
There is a fraudulent claim (by those with idealogical investments in the topic) on the Internet that this study has been “retracted” or “refuted.” The study is perfectly valid. Sub-Saharan-specific and quasi-sub-Saharan-specific alleles were definitely detected in the Greek population at the DRB1 locus, and this is not open to question.
It would be helpful here to discuss the study that was retracted, and the reason why. It is the work titled: “The origin of Palestinians and their genetic relatedness with other Mediterranean populations” (which contained some cross-referenced Greek data in a neighbor-joining dendogram and a correspondence analysis) that was retracted. And it was retracted solely and strictly for political reasons, as this Observer article makes crystal clear:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/Archive/Article/0,4273,4307083,00.html
(Keep in mind we are dealing with the study on the relatedness of Jews and Palestinians at the moment, which was retracted, and not the one on the Greek-Black African relatedness, which was not retracted and remains valid. The two must not be confused.)
Appreciations to: http://onedroprule.org/about1071.html
Epilogue:
“Hb S is common in some areas of the Mediterranean basin, including regions of Italy, Greece, Albania and Turkey (Boletini et al., 1994) (Schiliro et al., 1990). Haplotype analysis shows that the Hb S in these areas originated in Africa. The genes probably moved along ancient trading routes between wealthy kingdoms in western Africa and the trade centers in the Mediterranean basin.” (Harvard University, http://sickle.bwh.harvard.edu/scdmanage.html)
“Usually, people with sickle cell disease outside Africa (e.g., blacks in the United States) or India have mixed haplotypes for their sickle cell genes.” (Harvard University, http://sickle.bwh.harvard.edu/scdmanage.html)
“Templeton gives a modern-day analogy: the presence of a gene for sickle cell anemia in Caucasians in Portugal. The gene traces back to a mutation that occurred in Africa and spread through interbreeding between Africans and Europeans. “The Africans didn’t come up, reconquer the Iberian peninsula, kill off all the Europeans, and that’s why there are sickle cell alleles in Portugal today,” he says. The presence of the sickle cell gene in Portugal “means that Portuguese and Africans have met and they’ve interbred, just like humans tend to do.” – “Out of Africa” – Ruth Flanagan, Contributing Editor, Earth Magazine, http://www2.mc.maricopa.edu/anthro/l…ofAfrica5.html
As for E-M78, while already explained above (sources already cited) lets ignore the obvious facts and take your point of view as correct.
How the hell do you justify your claims on a people, their history and accomplishments when its distribution originally takes place in two episodes between 23.9-17.3 ky and 18.0-5.9 ky ago (see Cruciani 2006 “Tracing Past Human Male Movements………”) when you yourself claim a much more recent age for the Greeks (see above..3000yrs) ?
But since Cuciani and Seminio aren’t enough to satisfy your complexes.. you may find a list of papers here which all support the following thesis:
Y-DNA haplogroup J evolved in the ancient Near East and was carried into North Africa, Europe, Central Asia, Pakistan and India. J2 lineages originated in the area known as the Fertile Crescent.
http://www.isogg.org/tree/ISOGG_HapgrpJ07.html
Finally a couple of notes on the trash claims you copy/pasted from Anu Mauro’s article in relation to the paper byDi Giacomo:
R1a is NOT African but originates in the region of Ukraine some 10-15.000yrs ago.
see: National Geographic: The Genographic Project
R is NOT African but its mutation takes place in C.Asia
(same source as above)
DE indifferent of origin, in contrast to what is claimed.. is actually found in VERY LOW FREQUENCIES IN NIGERIA
http://www.chemeurope.com/lexikon/e/Haplogroup_DE_%28Y-DNA%29
So do you intend to ever respond to the simple question of WHY you resorted to DISTORTING the papers you claim to have cited ?
Ignoramus had bodly barked on Dec 6th : “…I’d suggest that the author and his followers find pride in who they are, their culture and their ancestor’s true achievments and forget about such rediculous claims which are nothing more than a celebration of some inferiority complex.”
As such he suggested that we were making wild unsubstantiated claims and fantasizing over Nigerians being related to ancient the Greeks. We had presented two prominent genes found in Nigerians and Greeks HBS Haplogroup 19 and Y-DNA E-M78.
On Dec 13th after much roasting on this site he rolls over and whines: “As for E-M78, ……… take your point of view as correct.”
If my point of view is correct then what is your grudge o jealousy one!
Thus as of this date, there will be no more bold disclaimer from this racist ignorant dog that Greeks are not connected to Nigerians by blood because it got crushed by the wieght of our scientific authorities.
As of this date, he is still unable to demonstrate that HBS 19 is not from Nigeria. Infact he does not dare mention HBS 19 anymore. Having gone to re-read Graham Seageant he now understands that the presence of Haplogroup 19 in Greeks is indicative of a connection in historical times between Greeks and Nigerians.
He is now reduced to making unfounded qualification about whether the blood connection occurred 10,00 years ago or 300 years back.
Well I will let you figure that out yourself racist dog. Idiots like you have for the past 200 years attempted to appropriate African history as yours, and always qualified African genetic footprints by making false claims about slavery being the route of the demic diffusion.
But again, we have reduced you now to arguing whether the genetic markers of blood connection were in sufficient quantity or not. Yet the crucial point is made. There is indeed evidence of historical blood genetic connections between Greeks and Nigerians.
Having been thrashed and trashed, by evidence of genetics science, his frustration and fear become obvious as he now wants to deny his original ignorant brag respecting historical mis-appropriation by ignorantly declaring: “I see your inferiority complex turned this into a debate on genetics since you simply dread to respond to the simple question of WHY YOU INTENTIONALLY DISTORTED THE CONTEXT OF THE ORIGINAL PAPERS YOU CLAIM TO HAVE CITED ?” Translated it means: “Help! Am I looking like a fool due to the clarity of the peer reviewed genetic authorities that Jahdey is citing? Whatz genetics got to do with blood? I am ignorant of a sound response so let me fling abusive words and move away from original my false and ignorant claim.”
Ignoramus’ Pathetic Attempt at Genetic Science:
According to the Ignoramus, he claims that: “DE indifferent of origin, in contrast to what is claimed.. is actually found in VERY LOW FREQUENCIES IN NIGERIA”
Yes DE is found in Nigeria according to this Ignorant horse’s mouth. DiaGiancomo tells you that DE also occurs in Greeks. Point made.
Further, why should you be indifferent to origin? You have to answer the origin query. If Nigeria is not the most probably origin of DE, then name the country you posit? Or name the country where it presents a higher prevalence.
Nonetheless, it is now beyond doubt, even if grudgingly accepted by this lower class animal called Ignoramus, that HBS 19 is from Nigeria and it occured in ancient Greeks as well as ancient Egyptians. Point made.
Ignoramus has admitted that DE does occur in Nigeria (whatever the quantity) and it also occurs in Greece. Point made.
Ignoramus has also owned up to the fact that A occurs in Nigeria (whatever the quality) and does occur in Greece. Point made.
What more proof of historical blood and genetic connection between ancient Greeks and ancient Nigerians do you ask for?
Ignoramus recall your loud chatter on Dec 6th boldly declaring that any claims of blood connection between Nigerians and Greeks were fantasy.
Now who is looking like a foolish racist dog?
Genetic science does not lie!
Only a fool leaneth upon his own misunderstanding.
Jahdey
PS: The endless bad grammar… Ignoramus, did you actually take my advise on brushing up on your spelling and syntatical errors? OK use your spell checker, ok?
Ignoramus “whines”: “THE FACTOR IN COMMON TO THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE SICKLE CELL GENE IS THEREFORE MALARIA AND NOT AFRICAN ANCESTRY”
Scientists Reply:
There have been four independent polymorphic events that gave rise to the four different strands of HBS DNA that exist on earth. They are classified by scientists as follows: Benin (Nigeria), Senegal, Bantu, and Asian HBS haplogroup. The theory is that since the DNA structures of these mutations are different, the only factor common to them all is malaria not ancestry. Each haplogroup that arose in those different places denotes a different ancestry from the other.
Due to the differences in the DNA structures of those haplogroups, it is possible to accurately trace descendants. Thus those who carry the Benin HBS can positively be identified by their DNA structure and differentiated from those who carry the Asian, or the Bantu HBS. But once your haplogroup is positively confirmed, it does indicate your genetic ancestry and conclusively proves historical connections between peoples and places.
Italians, Sicilians, Greeks, Spaniards and Portugese all have the sickle gene from Benin, Nigeria Africa. That proves their ancestral blood connections. It also proves that they did not get their HBS from Asia, as the Asian HBs genes are different than Nigeria’s. It proves they did not get it from Senegal, or Southern African DNA material because they positively carry the Nigerian haplogroup.
That is what is meant in the quotation you have misconstrued. It does not support your foolish assertion that the genetic material found in Greeks does not indicate Nigerian ancestry…on the contrary it tells you most emphatically that Greeks carry Nigerian genetic material in their blood which was introduced in historical times.
According to Dr. Segearnt:
The Benin haplotype accounts for HbS associated chromosomes in Sicily,4 Northern Greece,10 Southern Turkey,11 and South West Saudi Arabia,6,7 suggesting that these genes had their origin in West Africa. The Asian haplotype is rarely encountered outside its geographic origin because there have been few large population movements and Indian emigrants have been predominantly from non HbS containing populations.
Now read Dr G. Segearnt’s work:
THE GEOGRAPHY OF SICKLE CELL DISEASE:
OPPORTUNITIES FOR UNDERSTANDING ITS DIVERSITY
Graham R. Serjeant, MD, FRCP
The sickle cell gene is now known to be widespread, reaching its highest incidence in equatorial Africa, but occurring also in parts of Sicily and Southern Italy, Northern Greece, Southern Turkey, the Middle East, Saudi Arabia, especially the Eastern Province, and much of Central India (Figure 1). This distribution is determined by the occurrence of the sickle cell mutation and its selection by falciparum malaria.
Studies of the structure of DNA surrounding the beta globin locus reveal that the sickle cell gene is associated with several DNA structures probably representing different ancestral populations. The most likely interpretation is that the sickle cell mutation is a relatively recent occurrence that has occurred independently in several different populations. Falciparum malaria then acted as a selective factor, increasing the prevalence of the gene because people inheriting the sickle cell gene from one parent and a gene for normal adult hemoglobin from the other parent (sickle cell trait) were less likely to die from malaria and so more likely to survive and pass on their genes. Over the generations, the sickle cell trait has therefore reached high frequencies in malarious areas. The factor in common to the distribution of the sickle cell gene is therefore malaria and not African ancestry.
The different DNA structures associated with the sickle cell gene are identified by a pattern of restriction enzyme sites, the so-called ï¢ globin haplotypes,1-3 which are assumed to represent independent occurrences of the sickle cell mutation and are named after the places where first described (Figure 2).
The Senegal haplotype occurs on the Atlantic coast of West Africa, the Benin haplotype in central West Africa, especially Ghana, Nigeria, and Côte d’Ivoire, and the Bantu or Central African Republic haplotype in Zaire, the Central African Republic, Angola and Kenya.5 The HbS gene in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia6,7 and in Central India8 is associated with a different DNA structure not encountered in Africa and so almost certainly a fourth independent occurrence of the sickle cell mutation. It is currently uncertain whether the mutation arose in Arabia and spread to India or vice versa or possibly two independent occurrences in peoples of similar ancestral DNA structures. This fourth pattern is generally called the Asian haplotype.
From these original foci of the HbS mutation, the gene spread along trading routes to North Africa and the Mediterranean, was transported in large populations to North and South America and the Caribbean during the slave trade, and latterly has spread to Northern Europe by immigration from the Caribbean, directly from Africa to the United Kingdom, France, Belgium, and Holland, and from Turkey to Germany. The relative prevalence of these haplotypes in the Americas reflects the different origins of their African peoples, approximately 70% of HbS associated chromosomes having the Benin haplotype, 10% Senegal and 10% Bantu. Haplotype frequencies in Jamaica are similar to the USA but the Bantu haplotype accounts for the majority of HbS associated chromosomes in Brazil.9
The Benin haplotype accounts for HbS associated chromosomes in Sicily,4 Northern Greece,10 Southern Turkey,11 and South West Saudi Arabia,6,7 suggesting that these genes had their origin in West Africa. The Asian haplotype is rarely encountered outside its geographic origin because there have been few large population movements and Indian emigrants have been predominantly from non HbS containing populations. However, it is of interest that the Asian haplotype was first described among descendants of Indian indentured laborers in Jamaica.12 The disease now occurs against diverse genetic and environmental backgrounds, which provide experimental models for investigating the mechanisms of the clinical and hematological variability of the disease.
………………………………………………………………………
4. Ragusa A, Lombardo M, Sortino G, et al. ßs gene in Sicily is in linkage disequilibrium with the Benin haplotype: implications for gene flow. Am J Hematol 1988;27:139-41.
5. Ojwang PJ, Ogada T, Beris P, et al. Haplotypes and ï¡ globin gene analysis in sickle cell anaemia patients from Kenya. Br J Haematol 1987;65:211-5.
6. El-Hazmi MAF. Beta globin gene haplotypes in the Saudi sickle cell anemia patients. Human Heredity 1990;40:177-86.
7. Padmos MA, Roberts GT, Sackey K, et al. Two different forms of homozygous sickle cell disease occur in Saudi Arabia. Br J Haematology 1991;79:93-8.
8. Kulozik AE, Wainscoat JS, Serjeant GR, et al. Geographical survey of ï¢s-globin gene haplotypes: evidence for an independent Asian origin of the sickle cell mutation. Am J Hum Genet 1986;39:239-44.
9. Zago MA, Figueiredo MS, Ogo SH. Bantu ï¢s cluster haplotype predominates among Brazilian Blacks. Am J Phys Anthropol 1992;88:295-8.
10. Boussiou M, Loukopoulos D, Christakis J, Fessas Ph. The origin of the sickle cell mutation in Greece: evidence from ï¢s globin gene cluster polymorphisms. Hemoglobins 1991;15:459-67.
Not only does the child intentionally distort the papers he claims to have cited but also jumps to absurd conclusions due to his clear misunderstanding of what I have posted.
Why do you intentionally omit to quote the clear statement which reads:
“WHILE ALREADY EXPLAINED ABOVE (SOURCES ALREADY CITED) LETS IGNORE THE OBVIOUS FACTS”
and beside the intentional action of taking my words out of context, why do you again dread to respond to direct questions .. is it simply due to your ignorance or did the list of papers which indicate the ferile cresent as its place of origin add to your humiliation ??
You question my reference to the timeline of distribution.. I understand that for an intellectual midget like yourself, the very notion of ethnicities such as Hellenes or Nigerians was non-existant some 18-20000 yrs ago, but unfortunately my little friend, this fact can not be erased to suit your agenda.
and the child continues and in further celebration of his complexes attempts to attribute his mentality upon others. As I already clarified, I know who I am and feel quite confident not only of the accomplishments of MY (either you like it or not) ancestors but also of my own. I have no need of feeding my humbled ego through such a pathetic display of distortions. So when you want to talk about appropriation of history and achievements, I’d sugges you take a good look in the mirror.