The central Siberian origin for Native American Y chromosomes

Y chromosomal DNA polymorphisms have been used to study Pleistocene migrations to the American continent. In a sample of 306 men from all over the world, 32 haplotypes were established with the variations from 30 distinct polymorphic sites. The major Y haplotype in most Native Americans was followed back to recent ancestors common with Siberians, the Altaians and Kets from the Altai Mountains and the Yenissey River Basin, respectively, and then back to the next common ancestor. That one gave rise to Caucasoid Y chromosomes, likely from central Eurasia. The study indicates a mainly central Siberian origin for Native American paternal lineages for those who might have migrated to the Americas in the Upper Pleistocene.