Overview
O-M117 is one of the most important paternal lineages in East Asia and a dominant branch within O2-M122. It is particularly frequent among Sino-Tibetan populations and has been described as a key component of the "Oα" Neolithic expansion in China. The lineage arose as part of the broader O2a2b1-M134 radiation and subsequently experienced a major star-like demographic expansion during the late Neolithic, closely tied to the consolidation of early agricultural societies and emerging states in the Yellow River and Yangtze basins.
Geographic distribution
M117 is widespread across China and occurs at substantial frequencies in Tibet, Bhutan, Nepal, Myanmar and other Sino-Tibetan speaking regions. It is also present in Korea and Japan, and at lower levels among Mongolic and Turkic-speaking groups of northern East Asia. In South Asia, M117 appears mainly in Himalayan and Tibeto-Burman groups rather than in Indo-Aryan or Dravidian populations.
Ancient DNA
- Ancient DNA from Neolithic and Bronze Age northern China reveals multiple individuals carrying O-M134 and O-M117-related lineages.
- The timing of the M117 expansion coincides with the rise of large village societies and proto-states in the Yellow River basin.
- Studies have suggested that up to ~16 percent of modern Chinese males may descend from a small number of Neolithic O-M117 founders.
Phylogeny & subclades
O-M117 is a descendant of O2a2b1-M134 and an ancestor to several major subclades, including O-M133 and the large O-F8 cluster. The internal structure of M117 shows strong evidence of star-like branching, consistent with a rapid and substantial increase in male effective population size during the late Neolithic.
Notes & context
O-M117 is central to the paternal genetic history of Sino-Tibetan speakers and is one of the best-studied East Asian Y-chromosome lineages.
References & external links