Multiple Ethnic Origins of Mitochondrial DNA Lineages for the Population of Mauritius

Rosa Fregel,Diego Calaon,Saša Čaval,Anwar Janoo,Nicolás M Suárez,Jose Pestano,Eva Betancor,Krish Seetah

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0093294

Abstract

This article reports on the first genetic assessment of the contemporary Mauritian population. Small island nodes such as Mauritius played a critical role in historic globalization processes and revealing high-resolution details of labour sourcing is crucial in order to better understand early-modern diaspora events. Mauritius is a particularly interesting case given detailed historic accounts attesting to European (Dutch, French and British), African and Asian points of origin. Ninety-seven samples were analysed for mitochondrial DNA to begin unravelling the complex dynamics of the island's modern population. In corroboration with general demographic information, the majority of maternal lineages were derived from South Asia (58.76%), with Malagasy (16.60%), East/Southeast Asian (11.34%) and Sub-Saharan African (10.21%) also making significant contributions. This study pinpoints specific regional origins for the South Asian genetic contribution, showing a greater influence on the contemporary population from northern and southeast India. Moreover, the analysis of lineages related to the slave trade demonstrated that Madagascar and East Asia were the main centres of origin, with less influence from West Africa.

Highlights

The Indian Ocean has provided the backdrop for major maritime expansion events, resulting in the exchange of crops, stocks and languages among African, South Asian and Island Southeast Asian populations, and catalysing extensive cross-cultural interaction [1]
Our complete mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) study discovered an unidentified M type that only shares the common M mutations. The presence of this rare lineage on Mauritius has to be the result of historical migrations, most probably from India or East-Southeast Asia
In order to determine if it is possible to track the precise origin of this lineage we determine its frequency in the different regions of India based on its HVRI motif (16129 16213 16266! 16274! 16362)

Summary

Introduction

The Indian Ocean has provided the backdrop for major maritime expansion events, resulting in the exchange of crops, stocks and languages among African, South Asian and Island Southeast Asian populations, and catalysing extensive cross-cultural interaction [1]. At the western edge of the Indian Ocean, African and Austronesian communities inhabited Madagascar and the Comoro Archipelago before European colonization. Other islands in this region, such as Reunion Island and Mauritius, visited by the Arabs during the Islamic expansion, were not permanently occupied until the arrival of Europeans. Consensus suggests that in all cases, Europeans first imported sub-Saharan African and Malagasy slaves for labour provision and later, indentured workers from South and Southeast Asia [2]. The present day multi-ethnic population structure of these islands reflects their idiosyncratic histories

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Results

Conclusion