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Quantifying admixture in the Afrikaner population using mitochondrial DNA
Dissertation (MSc (Genetics))--University of Pretoria, 2019.
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
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2026
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| _version_ | 1867613530772996096 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author2 | Greeff, J.M. |
| author_browse | Greeff, J.M. |
| author_facet | Greeff, J.M. |
| collection | Thesis |
| description | Dissertation (MSc (Genetics))--University of Pretoria, 2019. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/110091 |
| institution | University of Pretoria (South Africa) |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:37:37.270Z |
| license_str | Not specified — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository |
| publishDate | 2026 |
| publishDateRange | 2026 |
| publishDateSort | 2026 |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository |
| spelling | oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/110091 Quantifying admixture in the Afrikaner population using mitochondrial DNA Greeff, J.M. thembisab@gmail.com Flatela, Thembisa Beryl Ancestry Admixture Haplogroup Mitochondrial DNA Genealogy Dissertation (MSc (Genetics))--University of Pretoria, 2019. In this study I investigate the maternal contribution of non-European women to the Afrikaner population, by looking into the non-coding/control region of the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). MtDNA is a useful marker to determine maternal ancestry, as it contains the genealogical history of the migrations of women who transmitted it through generations. The colonization by Europeans initiated admixture as it brought about contact among previously separated populations – populations from Europe, slaves from Africa, Asia and India and native populations of the colonized countries. Similar to the Cuban, Brazilian and South African Coloured population, the Afrikaner population seems to be no exception to the rule. The Afrikaner population developed as a result of admixture during colonization. This involved mainly the immigration of European men and a not insignificant number of native or slave women. Based on several studies using genealogies, they estimated that as much as 5–7% of Afrikaner genes are of non-European descent. When I redid these calculations for mtDNA, the sex-biased nature of admixture gave us a much higher fraction of 30% non-European ancestry. I genotyped mitochondrial variation of the highly informative hypervariable regions (HVR) I and II of 63 Afrikaners. By assigning mitochondrial haplotypes to their place of origin, I quantified the matrilineal origins of Afrikaners. The majority of haplotypes were most likely from Europe (79.4%), but typical African (9.5%; excluding Khoe-San), Khoe-San (3.2%) and Asian (7.9%) haplotypes were also present. The frequencies of European haplotypes matched expectations based on European calculations, but a significant non-European component was identified. My study confirms that a significant number of maternal ancestors were native Khoe-San, as well as slaves from Africa and Asia. I compared our findings to expectations from historical records and highlight two interesting facts: 1) a prominent West African signal iv | P a g e and 2) at least two typical Khoe-San haplotypes. Despite the fact that only 2% of African slaves came from West Africa, they all came very early (in 1658), and therefore had a four-generation head start on slaves imported from other regions of Africa. Only one marriage between a KhoeSan and European was recorded, yet I found two haplotypes, suggesting that the descendants of more than one Khoe-San mother made their way into the Afrikaner population, presumably via the trekboere. I was unable to follow any non-European maternal lines back to the founding mother and could thus not confirm or clarify the maternal origins of any non-European founding mother. Genetics MSc (Genetics) 2026-05-15T17:26:16Z 2026-05-15T17:26:16Z 19/02/01 2019 Dissertation http://hdl.handle.net/2263/110091 en application/pdf |
| spellingShingle | Ancestry Admixture Haplogroup Mitochondrial DNA Genealogy Quantifying admixture in the Afrikaner population using mitochondrial DNA |
| title | Quantifying admixture in the Afrikaner population using mitochondrial DNA |
| title_full | Quantifying admixture in the Afrikaner population using mitochondrial DNA |
| title_fullStr | Quantifying admixture in the Afrikaner population using mitochondrial DNA |
| title_full_unstemmed | Quantifying admixture in the Afrikaner population using mitochondrial DNA |
| title_short | Quantifying admixture in the Afrikaner population using mitochondrial DNA |
| title_sort | quantifying admixture in the afrikaner population using mitochondrial dna |
| topic | Ancestry Admixture Haplogroup Mitochondrial DNA Genealogy |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/2263/110091 |