The maternal genetic history of tribal populations of Chhattisgarh, India

Abstract

The central region of India boasts a rich tribal heritage and the highest number of tribal populations in the country. Analysing the genetic history of this population can offer valuable insights into various demographic processes that shaped the gene pool of present-day settlers of this region. In this study, we utilize a recently validated Next-generation sequencing (NGS) technique to sequence 24 tribal mitogenomes from the Chhattisgarh population for genetic ancestry and forensic analysis. The identified ancient haplogroups in this population can be traced back to the pre-Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) period. Our Bayesian analysis provides evidence for maternal ancestral expansion following the earliest Out-of-Africa migration, followed by a prolonged steady phase. We identified three basal founding haplogroups, M2, R5, and U2 in the Chhattisgarh region that diversified during the Neolithic period. Indistinct distribution pattern of these haplogroups among tribes and castes suggests that the maternal ancestry of Chhattisgarh population predates any kind of social stratification that exists today in the Indian subcontinent. Furthermore, our analysis suggests that this region remained unaffected by the Last Glacial Maximum. The forensic analysis of the mitogenomes demonstrates a high power of discrimination (0.9256) within the Chhattisgarh population, thus supporting the applicability of mitogenome NGS technology in forensic contexts.