Human population history at the crossroads of East and Southeast Asia since 11,000 years ago.

Past human genetic diversity and migration between southern China and Southeast Asia have not been well characterized, in part due to poor preservation of ancient DNA in hot and humid regions. We sequenced 31 ancient genomes from southern China (Guangxi and Fujian), including two ∼12,000- to 10,000-year-old individuals representing the oldest humans sequenced from southern China. We discovered a deeply diverged East Asian ancestry in the Guangxi region that persisted until at least 6,000 years ago. We found that ∼9,000- to 6,000-year-old Guangxi populations were a mixture of local ancestry, southern ancestry previously sampled in Fujian, and deep Asian ancestry related to Southeast Asian Hòabìnhian hunter-gatherers, showing broad admixture in the region predating the appearance of farming. Historical Guangxi populations dating to ∼1,500 to 500 years ago are closely related to Tai-Kadai and Hmong-Mien speakers. Our results show heavy interactions among three distinct ancestries at the crossroads of East and Southeast Asia.

Maternal genetic history of southern East Asians over the past 12,000 years.

Southern East Asia, including Guangxi and Fujian provinces in China, is home to diverse ethnic groups, languages, and cultures. Previous studies suggest a high complexity regarding population dynamics and the history of southern East Asians. However, large-scale genetic studies on ancient populations in this region are hindered by limited sample preservation. Here, using highly efficient DNA capture techniques, we obtain 48 complete mitochondrial genomes of individuals from Guangxi and Fujian in China and reconstruct their maternal genetic history over the past 12,000 years. We find a strong connection between southern East Asians dating to ~12,000-6000 years ago and present-day Southeast Asians. In addition, stronger genetic affinities to northern East Asians are observed in historical southern East Asians than Neolithic southern East Asians, suggesting increased interactions between northern and southern East Asians over time. Overall, we reveal dynamic connections between ancient southern East Asians and populations located in surrounding regions, as well as a shift in maternal genetic structure within the populations over time.

The complete mitochondrial genome of the orange-spotted grouper Epinephelus coioides (Perciformes, Serranidae).

We present the complete mitochondrial genome of Epinephelus coioides in this study. The mitochondrial genome is 16,458 bp in length, containing 13 protein-coding genes, 2 rRNA genes, 22 tRNA genes and a control region. All of them are encoded on the heavy strand except ND6 and 8 tRNA genes on the light strand. The nucleotide compositions of the light strand are 28.88% of G, 28.75% of T, 26.58% of A and 15.80% of C. All the protein-coding genes share ATG initiation codon except ATP6 with CTG and COXI with GTG, and four types of inferred termination codons are T (ND2, COXII, ND3, ND4 and Cytb), TA (COXIII), TAA (ND1, ATP8, ND4L, ND5, ATP6 and COXI) and TAG (ND6). There are 10 intergenic spacers, 5 gene overlaps and no tandem repeat sequence. Gene arrangement and distribution are consistent with the typical vertebrates.