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Mitochondrial DNA and human evolution

Abstract

Mitochondrial DNAsfrom 147 people, drawn from five geographic populations have been analysed by restriction mapping. All these mitochondrial DMAs stem from one woman who is postulated to have lived about 200,000 years ago, probably in Africa. All the populations examined except the African population have multiple origins, implying that each area was colonised repeatedly.

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Cann, R., Stoneking, M. & Wilson, A. Mitochondrial DNA and human evolution. Nature 325, 31–36 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1038/325031a0

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