Overview
Haplogroup R-PF7513 represents one of the oldest detectable branches within the upstream structure of haplogroup R, forming shortly after the earliest divergence events that separated the R lineage from the broader K2 based ancestry. PF7513 belongs to a deep Paleolithic horizon, emerging during the initial movement of anatomically modern humans across Central Eurasia at a time when population densities were extremely low and genetic drift shaped the early contour of paternal lineages. The position of PF7513 near the root of the R phylogenetic tree underscores its historical importance for understanding the earliest phases of the lineage’s expansion. Genetic and archaeological evidence indicates that PF7513 likely existed among Upper Paleolithic hunter gatherer groups inhabiting regions stretching from the southern Ural foothills to western Central Asia. The internal structure of PF7513 is limited due to the deep time depth involved and the near total replacement of early Eurasian paternal diversity during later events linked to R1a and R1b expansions. Nevertheless, PF7513 provides a rare window into the earliest population layers predating both steppe related and Neolithic expansions. PF7513 has no known surviving large descendant branches today, but rare traces of upstream PF7513 associated SNPs have been identified in individuals carrying extremely basal R lineages. These traces are primarily found in ancient genomes, including Upper Paleolithic Siberian and steppe associated individuals with early R or pre R ancestry. Its presence in these contexts aligns PF7513 with the initial movements of modern humans into the broader Eurasian steppelands.