About twenty percent of our country citizens are genetically connected to Queen Elizabeth II and children of the Last Russian Emperor, according to the results of research conducted by Genotek company, RIA Novosti informs.
The research of mitochondrial DNA – a small part of human genome passed from the mother to her child, allows identifying kinship between people. Besides, it helps to study migration history. The mitochondrial DNA provides an opportunity to build unique genealogical tree of humanity.
According to the Head of Genotek, a genetic scientist Valery Ilyinsky, kinship relations can be found by studying mutations in Y chromosome passed by father to his children.
People with similar mitochondrial DNA or Y chromosome are divided into haplogroups. These groups in their turn fall into smaller groups and are parts of wider groups with mutual history of formation.
Genetic scientists explain that such relative connections do not mean that the people are direct descendants of British royals or Chinghis Khan. The common haplogroup is just evidence that its representatives have common ancestors.
Maternally a large part of Russians belongs to the group, which appeared in the Middle East and in the South-Western Asia around thirty thousand years ago. At present a large part of Europeans – about forty percent of them, have the mitochondrial DNA of this group. Thus, they can be considered Europeans.
Patrilineally the situation is different – a quarter of Russians are related to the other haplogroup. There are various theories of its appearance. Some specialists believe that it came into existence ten thousand years ago in the Caspian steppes. Others consider that it appeared thirty thousand years ago in Altai or Central Asia.
Russkiy Mir
