Genetic studies of Jews

Genetic studies on the Jews are part of population genetics . This discipline is used to better understand the chronology of migration and thus complements the results provided by history , archeology , language or paleontology . The interest of these studies is to investigate the origins of various Jewish populations today. In particular, they investigate whether there is a common genetic heritage among various Jewish populations .

Genetic studies on Jews are part of the population genetics discipline and are used to better understand the chronology of migration provided by research in other fields, such as history, archaeology, linguistics, and paleontology. These studies investigate the origins of various Jewish populations today. In particular, they investigate whether there is a common genetic heritage among various Jewish populations . Studies of autosomal DNA , which look at the entire DNA mixture, show that Jewish populations have tended to form relatively closely related groups in independent communities with most in a community sharing significant ancestry. According to Behar and colleagues (2010), this is "consistent with a historical formulation of the Jewish people as descending from ancient Hebrew and Israelites of the Levant " and "the dispersion of the people of ancient Israel throughout the Old World ". Jews living in the North African, Italian, and Iberian regions show variable frequencies of admixture with the historical non-Jewish population along the maternal lines. In the case of Ashkenazi and Sephardi Jews (in particular Moroccan Jews ), who are closely related, the source of non-Jewish admixture is mainly southern European . Behar and colleagues have remarked on an especially close relationship between Ashkenazi Jews and modern Italians . Some studies show that the Bene Israel and Cochin Jews of India , and the Beta Israel of Ethiopia , while very closely resembling the local populations of their native countries, may have some ancient Jewish descent. Zoossmann-Diskin A (October 2010). "The origin of Eastern European Jews revealed by autosomal, sex chromosomal and mtDNA polymorphisms" . PMID 20925954 . : CS1 maint: unflagged free DOI ( link ) Balter, Michael (8 October 2013).

These studies investigate the origins of various Jewish ethnic divisions . In particular, they examine whether there is a common genetic heritage among them. The medical genetics of Jews are studied for population-specific diseases. Studies on Jewish populations have been principally conducted using three types of genealogical DNA tests : autosomal (atDNA), mitochondrial (mtDNA), and Y-chromosome (Y-DNA). atDNA tests, which look at the entire DNA mixture, show that Jewish populations have tended to form genetic isolates – relatively closely related groups in independent communities with most in a community sharing significant ancestry – with Ashkenazi Jews forming the largest such group. mtDNA and Y-DNA tests look at maternal and paternal ancestry respectively, via two small groups of genes transmitted only via female or male ancestors. Genetic analysis finds that Jewish groups show evidence of both varying degrees of genetic descent from peoples of the Levant or Near East , and admixture and introgression with non-Jewish host populations. Studies on the genetic composition of Ashkenazi , Sephardi and Mizrahi Jewish populations of the Jewish diaspora show significant amounts of shared Middle Eastern ancestry . Several Jewish groups show genetic proximity to Lebanese , Palestinians , Bedouins , and Druze in addition to Southern European populations, including Cypriots and Italians . Jews living in the North African , Italian , and Iberian regions show variable frequencies of admixture with the historical non-Jewish population along the maternal lines. In the case of Ashkenazi and Sephardi Jews (in particular Moroccan Jews ), who are closely related, the source of non-Jewish admixture is mainly southern European. Some researchers have remarked on an especially close relationship between Ashkenazi Jews and modern Italians . Some studies show that the Bene Israel and Cochin Jews of India , and the Beta Israel of Ethiopia , while very closely resembling the local populations of their native countries, may have some ancient Jewish descent. Lewontin 2012 , "Ordinary genetics is not sufficient... If one of my ancestors four generations ago were black, there is a good chance I would have inherited none of her pigment genes or so few that they would not be apparent in my own skin color. This random inheritance of genes makes it very difficult to reconstruct the variety of ancestors in remote past generations. Fortunately for those interested in the reconstruction of ancestry there are two useful exceptions to the rule that we inherit only a random one of the two sets of genetic information possessed by each of our parents... The Y chromosome carries very few genes... Thus, by examining the Y chromosome DNA from a group of males in some generation and comparing it to the Y chromosomes of various other populations, we can reconstruct the contribution of males from various sources in previous generations to the present population... Our mitochondria, then, provide us, both male and female, with a record of our maternal ancestry, uncontaminated by their male partners.". Zoossmann-Diskin A (October 2010). "The origin of Eastern European Jews revealed by autosomal, sex chromosomal and mtDNA polymorphisms" . There are <ref group=lower-alpha> tags or templates on this page, but the references will not show without a template or template (see the help page ).

These studies investigate the origins of various Jewish ethnic divisions . In particular, they examine whether there is a common genetic heritage among them. The medical genetics of Jews are studied for population-specific diseases. Studies on Jewish populations have been principally conducted using three types of genealogical DNA tests : autosomal (atDNA), mitochondrial (mtDNA), and Y-chromosome (Y-DNA). atDNA tests, which look at the entire DNA mixture, show that Jewish populations have tended to form genetic isolates – relatively closely related groups in independent communities with most in a community sharing significant ancestry – with Ashkenazi Jews forming the largest such group. mtDNA and Y-DNA tests look at maternal and paternal ancestry respectively, via two small groups of genes transmitted only via female or male ancestors. Studies on the genetic composition of Ashkenazi , Sephardi , and Mizrahi Jewish populations of the Jewish diaspora show significant amounts of shared Middle Eastern ancestry , and several Jewish groups show genetic proximity to Arabs . Jews living in the North African , Italian , and Iberian regions show variable frequencies of genetic overlap with the historical non-Jewish population along the maternal lines. In the case of Ashkenazi and Sephardi Jews (in particular Moroccan Jews ), who are closely related, the source of non-Jewish genes is mainly southern European . Some researchers have remarked on an especially close relationship between Ashkenazi Jews and modern Italians , and other southern European populations including Cypriots . Bene Israel and the Cochin Jews of India , and Beta Israel of Ethiopia , also have ancient Jewish origins. Lewontin 2012 , "Ordinary genetics is not sufficient... If one of my ancestors four generations ago were black, there is a good chance I would have inherited none of her pigment genes or so few that they would not be apparent in my own skin color. This random inheritance of genes makes it very difficult to reconstruct the variety of ancestors in remote past generations. Fortunately for those interested in the reconstruction of ancestry there are two useful exceptions to the rule that we inherit only a random one of the two sets of genetic information possessed by each of our parents... The Y chromosome carries very few genes... Thus, by examining the Y chromosome DNA from a group of males in some generation and comparing it to the Y chromosomes of various other populations, we can reconstruct the contribution of males from various sources in previous generations to the present population... Our mitochondria, then, provide us, both male and female, with a record of our maternal ancestry, uncontaminated by their male partners.". Zoossmann-Diskin A (October 2010). "The origin of Eastern European Jews revealed by autosomal, sex chromosomal and mtDNA polymorphisms" .