Haplogroup K2 (Y-DNA)

Haplogroup K2 (M70, M184, M193, M272) is a human Y-chromosome DNA haplogroup. It is a subclade of Haplogroup K.

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Haplogroup K2 is present at a low level throughout Africa, Southwest Asia, South Asia, and, at an even lower level, throughout Southern Europe. A famous member of the K2 haplogroup is Thomas Jefferson; his Y-chromosomal complement received prominence through the Sally Hemings controversy. Haplogroup K2-M70 has been detected in 10.4% (21/201) of Somali, 8.3% (10/121) of Omani Arab, 8.2% (12/147) of Egyptian, and 7.2% (10/139) of Iraqi males, which is much higher than its frequency in other populations.^[1] "K2-M70 individuals, at some later point, proceeded south to Africa. While these chromosomes are seen in relatively high frequencies in Egypt, Oman, Tanzania, Ethiopia, and Morocco, they are especially prominent in the Fulbe (18% [Scozzari et al. 1997, 1999]), presenting the highest concentration of this haplogroup found so far."

Other regions that have been found to contain a significant proportion of haplogroup K2 individuals include South India (18/305 or 5.9%), United Arab Emirates (8/164 or 4.9%), Ethiopia (6/126 or 4.8%), East India (14/367 or 3.8%), South Iran (4/117 or 3.4%), and Turkey (13/523 or 2.5%).^[2][3][4]

Among populations of India, haplogroup K2 has been found to be particularly common among the Bauri, a Dalit caste of fishermen in East India, and the Kurru (also known as Yerukula), a Dravidian tribe of South India.^[5]

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