Haplogroup J (mtDNA)

Haplogroup J is a  (mtDNA). Haplogroup J derives from the, which also gave rise to. In his popular book , named the originator of this mtDNA haplogroup Jasmine. Within the field of, certain polymorphisms specific to haplogroup J have been associated with. 

Origins
Around 45,000 years before present, a mutation took place in the DNA of a woman who lived in the Anatolian-Caucasus region. Further mutations took place in the J line which can be identified as J1a1 (27,000 yrs ago), J2a (19,000 yrs ago), J2b2 (16,000 years ago), J2b3 (5,800 yrs ago), etc. Haplogroup J (along with ‘T’) is associated with the spread of farming and herding in Europe during the Neolithic Era (8,000-10,000 yrs ago). All other West Eurasian-origin groups (H, V, U, K, W, I, X) were previously given to hunting and gathering.

Locale
Average frequency of J Haplogroup as a whole is highest in the Near East (12%), followed by Europe (11%), Caucasus (8%) and North Africa (6%). Of the two main sub-groups, J1 takes up four-fifths of the total and is spread on the continent while J2 is more localised around the Mediterranean, notably in Turkey, Greece, Italy/Sardinia and Spain. A surprising presence of J2 (10%) amongst the of Ob river valleys indicates a Neolithic Phase expansion towards the Urals. East of the Caucasus, occurrence of J2 has been noted in Northern Iran at 5%, Azerbaijan at 3% and Turkmenistan at 3%. In Pakistan, where West Eurasian lineages occur at frequencies of up to 50% in some ethno-linguistic groups, J1 averages around 5%, while J2 occurrence is very rare. Intriguingly, however, it is found amongst 9% of, a small ethnic community dwelling in the Hindu Kush mountains of Pakistan.

Distribution within Europe
Within Europe, >2% frequency distribution of mtDNA J is as follows :

J* = Ireland - 12%, England-Wales - 11%, Scotland - 9%, Orkney - 8%, Germany - 7%, Russia (European) - 7%, Iceland - 7%, Bulgaria-Turkey - 6%, Austria-Switzerland - 5%, Finland-Estonia - 5%, Spain-Portugal - 4%, France-Italy - 3%

J1  = Bulgaria-Turkey - 5%

J1a = Austria-Switzerland - 3%

J1b1 = Scotland - 4%

J2  = Bulgaria-Turkey - 3%, France-Italy - 2%

J2a = Homogenously spread in Europe. Absent in the nations around the Caucasus. Not known to be found elsewhere. 

J2b1 = Virtually absent in Europe. Found in diverse forms in the Near East. 

Coalescence times for the subclades of mitochondrial haplogroup J
* Typographical error from original source material as per time table describing the spread of populations given in the same study.