Neolithic genomes reveal a distinct ancient HLA allele pool and population transformation in Europe

Immel, A.; Rinne, C.; Meadows, J.; Barquera, R.; Szolek, A.; Pierini, F.; Susat, J.; Boehme, L.; Dose, J.; Bonczarowska, J.; Drummer, C.; Fuchs, K.; Ellinghaus, D.; Kaessens, J. C.; Furholt, M.; Kohlbacher, O.; Schade-Lindig, S.; Mathieson, I.; Franke, A.; Krause, J.; Mueller, J.; Lenz, T. L.; Nebel, A.; Krause-Kyora, B.

doi:10.1101/851188

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bioRxiv · 10.1101/851188

Neolithic genomes reveal a distinct ancient HLA allele pool and population transformation in Europe

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Abstract

The Wartberg culture (WBC, 3,500-2,800 BCE) dates to the Late Neolithic period, a time of important demographic and cultural transformations in western Europe. We perform a genome-wide analysis of 42 individuals who were interred in a WBC collective burial in Niedertiefenbach, Germany (3,300-3,200 cal. BCE). Our results highlight that the Niedertiefenbach population indeed emerged at the beginning of the WBC. This farming community was genetically heterogeneous and carried a surprisingly large hunter-gatherer ancestry component (40%). We detect considerable differences in the human leukocyte antigen gene pool between contemporary Europeans and the Niedertiefenbach individuals whose immune response was primarily geared towards defending viral infections.

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Immel, A., Rinne, C., Meadows, J., Barquera, R., Szolek, A., Pierini, F., Susat, J., Boehme, L., Dose, J., Bonczarowska, J., Drummer, C., Fuchs, K., Ellinghaus, D., Kaessens, J. C., Furholt, M., Kohlbacher, O., Schade-Lindig, S., Mathieson, I., Franke, A., Krause, J., Mueller, J., Lenz, T. L., Nebel, A., Krause-Kyora, B.. 2019-11-21. Neolithic genomes reveal a distinct ancient HLA allele pool and population transformation in Europe. https://doi.org/10.1101/851188

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