Zhang Da-Xuan, Dai Shen-Ru, Cui Yin-Qiu
School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China.
Yi Chuan. 2025 Jan;47(1):34-45. doi: 10.16288/j.yczz.24-196.
The northern part of Asia, including Siberia, the Mongolian Plateau, and northern China, is not only a crossroads for population exchange on the Eurasian continent but also an important bridge connecting the American continent. This region holds a unique and irreplaceable significance in exploring the origins of humanity, tracking human migration routes, and elucidating evolutionary mechanisms. Despite the limited number of samples unearthed, varying preservation conditions, and constraints of technical means, our understanding of the interactions among populations in northern Asia is still in its infancy. However, the development of high-throughput sequencing technology and its advancement in ancient DNA research have provided us with a new perspective for delving into the genetic history of ancient populations from a molecular level. In this review, we synthesize the changes in the genetic structure of ancient populations in different stages of northern Asia, aiming to reveal the patterns of interaction among ancient populations in this region, the evolutionary process of their genetic structure, and their genetic contributions to modern populations. It will also discuss the adaptive strategies of humans in response to extreme natural conditions. This will not only deepen our understanding of the origins and migration processes of humanity but also provide a solid foundation for studying the evolutionary mechanisms and adaptive strategies of humans under environmental selective pressures.
亚洲北部，包括西伯利亚、蒙古高原和中国北方，不仅是欧亚大陆人口交流的十字路口，也是连接美洲大陆的重要桥梁。该地区在探索人类起源、追踪人类迁徙路线以及阐明进化机制方面具有独特且不可替代的意义。尽管出土样本数量有限、保存条件各异且受技术手段限制，但我们对亚洲北部人群间相互作用的了解仍处于起步阶段。然而，高通量测序技术的发展及其在古DNA研究中的进步，为我们从分子层面深入探究古代人群的遗传历史提供了新视角。在本综述中，我们综合了亚洲北部不同阶段古代人群遗传结构的变化，旨在揭示该地区古代人群间的相互作用模式、其遗传结构的进化过程以及他们对现代人群的遗传贡献。还将讨论人类应对极端自然条件的适应策略。这不仅会加深我们对人类起源和迁徙过程的理解，也为研究环境选择压力下人类的进化机制和适应策略提供坚实基础。
