Historical events have played a major role in shaping people’s genetics across Africa, according to research published in the journal Science Advances.
Produced by a team of academics, including Scott MacEachern, Vice-Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Professor of Archaeology and Anthropology at Duke Kunshan University, the research compared genetic patterns among modern populations, revealing migrations and mixings of peoples across the continent going back thousands of years.
“This was truly fascinating research to be involved in, and it provides new insights into how historical movements of people have impacted the genetic makeup of Africa,” said MacEachern.
The team, led by researchers from University College London, built on previous studies of African genomes by broadening their analysis to new genetic variation data from almost 1,500 people, gathered during research undertaken between 1997 and 2006. The data covered more than 150 ethnic groups from across Africa (primarily Cameroon, Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Nigeria, and Sudan, plus some in southern Africa). The researchers combined this data with historical information to form a picture of how current genetics were influenced by past events, such as the formation or expansion of states.
Amongst their findings were traces of DNA from across the continent found among the present-day people of northern Cameroon, which can be linked to the vast Kanem-Bornu Empire that emerged around 700 CE and had trading links across northern, north-eastern and western Africa.
They also found evidence of migrations by Arabic groups down the Nile into the Sudan during the Kingdom of Aksum, which was a major power across northeast Africa and southern Arabia in the first millennium AD.
In addition, the study provides evidence that the movement of Bantu speakers from Cameroon to eastern, southern and possibly west Africa, may have been linked to the impact of climate change around 3,000 years ago, which led to a reduction in forest coverage.
“This study has shed light on the pre-colonial human history of Africa, which is often overlooked,” said MacEachern. “Further genetic studies will do more so, bringing forth secrets from the continent through people’s DNA.”
As well as MacEachern and UCL academics, the study involved researchers from other institutions in the United Kingdom, Cameroon, Ghana, Sudan, Canada, France, Finland, and the United States. It was supported by the BBSRC, Natural Environment Research Council, Wellcome, the Royal Society and the National Institute for Health Research UCLH Biomedical Research Centre.
