Larena Maximilian, Chowdhury Afifa Enam, Kels Ma Junaliah Tuazon, Tätte Kai, Metspalu Mait, Schlebusch Carina M, Garcia-Bertrand Ralph, Herrera Rene J
Human Evolution, Department of Organismal Biology, Uppsala University, Uppsala SE-752 36, Sweden.
Estonian Biocentre, Institute of Genomics, University of Tartu, Tartu 51010, Estonia.
Genome Biol Evol. 2025 Mar 6;17(3). doi: 10.1093/gbe/evaf046.
The migration of Austronesian-speaking populations through Oceania has intrigued researchers for decades. The Kiribati islands, situated along the boundaries of Micronesia and Polynesia, provide a crucial link in this migration. We analyzed the genome-wide data of the Kiritimati population of Kiribati to uncover their genetic origins and connections with other Oceanian groups. Our study reveals that the Kiritimati population primarily exhibits Remote Oceanian-related ancestry associated with ancient Lapita and present-day Polynesian populations. In addition, our identity-by-descent analysis identifies populations from the coastal southern Philippines as their closest relatives in Island Southeast Asia. The genetic links between Kiritimati, ancient Lapita, and modern Polynesians underscore the shared ancestry and continuous gene flow across these regions. This genetic continuity and ongoing links are supported by linguistic and cultural evidence, illustrating a complex history of migration and admixture in Oceania.
数十年来，南岛语系人群在大洋洲的迁徙一直吸引着研究人员。位于密克罗尼西亚和波利尼西亚边界的基里巴斯群岛，在这次迁徙中提供了关键线索。我们分析了基里巴斯圣诞岛人群的全基因组数据，以揭示他们的遗传起源以及与其他大洋洲群体的联系。我们的研究表明，圣诞岛人群主要呈现出与古代拉皮塔人和现代波利尼西亚人群相关的远大洋洲血统。此外，我们的同源性分析确定，菲律宾南部沿海地区的人群是他们在东南亚岛屿最亲近的亲属。圣诞岛、古代拉皮塔人和现代波利尼西亚人之间的遗传联系突显了这些地区共享的祖先和持续的基因流动。这种遗传连续性和持续的联系得到了语言和文化证据的支持，说明了大洋洲复杂的迁徙和混合历史。
