Professor Bryan Sykes tells his personal story of how he
developed the use of mtDNA as an analysis tool.While the rest of the
A3243G web site is devoted to the problems arising from the A to G mutation
and the problems it causes, Professor Sykes uses multiple gene mutations to good
effect.
He does this by looking at the "control loop" of the mtDNA
molecule. About 500 base pairs long, the control
loop can accumulate DNA mutations without any harm to the person, because it
is a non coding region i.e. it does not code any proteins.
His story unfolds with many humorous twists, including
- how a broken shoulder on a remote island proved pivotal to his
curiosity in the subject,
- how all hamsters are descended from just one female and have identical
mtDNA, proved by
analysing hamster droppings sent from all around the world,
- how he is distantly related to the executed last Tsar of Russia,
- how he found a living relative of a 9,000 year old fossil - "Cheddar
Gorge Man". This
wasn't the Duke of Bath, (in whose estate the Cheddar Gorge lies), who has over 500 years of
aristocracy behind him, but rather his
butler who had a much longer lineage in the area - in excess of 9,000
years!,
- how he crossed scientific swords on a couple of occasions - coming out
winner both times,
- and much more.
He was able to prove that the Polynesians migrated from East to West,
(i.e. starting from Asia going westwards), against the prevailing wind and
currents, disproving the famous Thor Heyerdahl
- Kon-Tiki expedition. He went on to
analyse many thousands of samples and to deduce that virtually all
Europeans, are descended from just seven women. (This also applies to the
majority of North Americans who migrated there from Europe). He has named these women
Ursula, Xenia, Helena, Velda, Tara, Katrine and Jasmine. Towards the
end of the book there is chapter about each of them, and a hypothetical
story about the probable location and possible lifestyle
of these women. Note: Many other scientist have
confirmed Professor Sykes' work on mtDNA, and together with work on the Y chromosome,
have built up a detailed picture of the "Out Of Africa" human migrations,
for the entire world. He concludes by reminding us how closely we are all
related to each other, regardless of skin colour or language spoken. The
Seven Daughters of Eve is a wonderful read, technical enough where needed,
but a flowing account of one scientist's involvement with mtDNA. Highly
recommended.
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