In human genetics, Haplogroup G-M406 is a Y-chromosome haplogroup. G-M406 is a branch of Haplogroup G Y-DNA (M201). More specifically in descending order, G-M406 is a subbranch also of G2 (P287), G2a (P15) and finally G2a2b (L30/S126) Haplogroup G-M406 seems most common in Turkey and Greece. Secondary concentrations of G-M406 are found in the northern and eastern Mediterranean, and it is found in very small numbers in more inland areas of Europe, the Middle East, and the southern Caucasus Mountains area.
Genetic features A large number of G-M406 persons have the value of 21 at short tandem repeat (STR) marker DYS390, and all G-M406 men will have the M406 SNP mutation which characterizes this group. The 21 at DYS390 is uncommon among G persons outside the G-M406 group. In G-M406 persons, the DYS391 marker has mostly a value of 10, but sometimes 11, and DYS392 is almost always 11 except in one distinct cluster. If a sample meets the criteria indicated for these three markers, it is likely the sample is G-M406.
This M406 SNP was first reported in 2008. The M designation indicates it was first identified at Stanford University. M406 is located on the Y chromosome at position 2809995, reference SNP ID i4000120. The mutation involves a change from T to G.
The SNPs L184 and L185 (respectively 17586994 with a mutation from A to G, and 20922998 with a mutation from C to G) were found to exist in only some members of a M406+ family and are now considered private SNPs with no practical use outside this family.
Age and origin of G-M406
In April 2021, YFULL estimate that the mutation G-M406 arose between 15700 YBP and 13300 YBP, the TMRCA between all G-M-406 is estimated to be between 13800 YBP and 10700 YBP
+ Oldest M-406 sample founded so far (January 2023):Skourtanioti2020, Daamgard2018, Narasimhan2019, Antonio2019, O'Sullivan2018 Sample name Mean Age Location Culture Sub Haplogroup (ISOGG - FT DNA) CBT013 5587 YBP çamlıbel tarlası, Çorum Province, Turkey Late Chalcolithic G2a2b1a - FGC5089 CBT015 5585 YBP çamlıbel tarlası, Çorum Province, Turkey Late Chalcolithic G2a2b1a - FGC5089 CBT014 5579 YBP çamlıbel tarlası, Çorum Province, Turkey Late Chalcolithic G2a2b1a1 - FGC5089 > M3302 IKI037 5576 YBP Ikiztepe, Samsun Province, Turkey Late Chalcolithic CBT005 5502 YBP çamlıbel tarlası, Çorum Province, Turkey Late Chalcolithic G2a2b1 ART024 5491 YBP Arslantepe, Malatya Province, Turkey Uruk Period G2a2b1 ART014 5255 YBP Arslantepe, Malatya Province, Turkey Uruk Period G2a2b1 ART027 5245 YBP Arslantepe, Malatya Province, Turkey Uruk Period G2a2b1 CGG_2_022283 4500 YBP Resuloğlu Höyük, Çorum Province, Turkey Hattians / Early Bronze Age G2a2b1a - FGC5089 > FGC5081* I14785 3700 YBP Oylum Höyük, Kilis Province, Turkey Middle Bronze Age G2a2b1 - PF3296 > PF3316 MA2208 3650 YBP Kaman-Kalehöyük, Kırşehir Province, Turkey Assyrian IIIc G2a2b1a1e1 - FGC5089 > FGC5081 > S9350 > Y24772 I19612 2750 YBP Çavuştepe, Van Province, Turkey Urartian G2a2b1 SFI-15 2087 YBP Beirut, Liban Imperial Rome G2a2b1a2a - FGC5089 > M3302 > M3422 I5249 2071 YBP Tekkeköy Büyüklü, Samsun Province, Turkey Kingdom of Pontus I12293 2050 YBP Tajikistan Kushan R131 1900 YBP Rome, Italy Imperial Rome G2a2b1a1a1 - FGC5089 > FGC5081 > Y2724 > FGC5124 > L14 R11112 1800 YBP Rome Imperial Rome G2a2b1a1a1 - FGC5089 > FGC5081 > Y2724 > FGC5124 > L14 > FTA64009 R11119 1800 YBP Rome Imperial Rome G2a2b1a1b1b - G-FGC5089 > G-FGC5081 > Y2724 > Z17887 > Z17886 > Y44432 MDH-630 1800 YBP Madaras - Halmok, Hungary Middle-Late Sarmatian Period G2a2b1a1b2a1a2~- G-FGC5089 > G-FGC5081 > Y2724 > Z17887 > L645 > Z42373 R47 1717 YBP Rome Imperial Rome G2a2b1b1a1b - PF3293 > PF3296 > Z30814 > S11415 R10654 1667 YBP Klosterneuburg, Austria Imperial Rome G2a2b1a1a1 - FGC5089 > FGC5081 > Y2724 > FGC5124 > L14 > G-Z17084 BLA-ME-1151; 8102 1550 YBP Necrópolis Blanes, Mérida, Spain Late Roman Empire / Kingdom of the Suebi G2a2b1a1b2a - G-FGC5089 > G-FGC5081 > Y2724 > Z17887 > L645 I19086 1350 YBP Brusyany Kurgans, Samara Oblast, Russia Bulgars / Alans G2a2b1a1b2a - G-FGC5089 > G-FGC5081 > Y2724 > Z17887 > L645* 3B 1345 YBP Niederstotzingen, Germany Alemanni G2a2b1a1a - FGC5089 > FGC5081 > Y2724 > FGC5124 > FT49621 KKper245 / KK1-245 1313 YBP Kiskundorozsma-Kettőshatár I, Hungary Hungary Avar MiddleLate G2a2b1a1a1a - FGC5089 > FGC5081> L14 > FGC5185 2039Bolzano / KDA-517 1250 YBP Kiskundorozsma-Daruhalom, Hungary Hungary Avar Middle G2a2b1b1a2c - PF3293 > PF3296 > Z30814 > S11415 > Y82047 RKF255 1250 YBP Rákóczifalva-Bagi, Szolnok, Hungary Hungary Avar Middle G2a2b1a2a - FGC5089 > M3302 RKF258 1250 YBP Rákóczifalva-Bagi, Szolnok, Hungary Hungary Avar Middle G2a2b1a2a - FGC5089 > M3302 SHE003 1164 YBP Shekshovo, Ivanovo oblast Rus' / Merya, Russia G2a2b1a1a1a2b2a - FGC5089 > FGC5081 > Y2724 > FGC5124 > L14 > G-Y181650 I20146 975 YBP Stratonikeia-West Church, Muğla Province Byzantine Empire G2a2b1a2a - FGC5089 > M3302 > M3422 > M3230 > FTA35613I14647 : Locus 2; TH15 BF1020 750 YBP Tilbeşar Höyük, Gaziantep Province G2a2b1 Greyfriars Skeleton 1 537 YBP Grey Friars Abbey, Leicester England Medieval - Early Modern G2a2b1a1a - FGC5089 > FGC5081> L14 (Predicted by STR testing)
Geographical distribution The ability to describe G-M406 distribution accurately is handicapped by the rather recent identification of the defining G-M406 SNP and the resulting paucity of samples tested for M406. Some estimate of G-M406 percentages can be made, however, by noting the percentage of men with STR marker G samples which have the distinctive 21 value at DYS390 found almost exclusively among G persons within G-M406 and making use of samples tested at commercial labs and in research papers.
Turkey, Greece and Western Armenia Perhaps about 5% of men in Turkey are G-M406, the highest percentage of the general population in any country yet sampled. This 5% figure is based on the finding of the value of 21 at STR marker DYS390 in 21 of 57 G samples from throughout Turkey. Among G persons, the 21 value is seen overwhelmingly in G-M406 persons. But values other than 21 occur to a small extent in G-M406 persons. So the total G-M406 percentage within Turkish G is likely close to 50 percent, and the 57 SNP-confirmed G samples represent 11% of 523 Turkish samples obtained in the largest study yet conducted of Turkish population genetics.
In adjacent Greece, SNP testing determined that half of eight G samples were G-M406. The G samples represented 5% of 171 Greek samples. In contrast in nearby Crete, G-M406 was only 20% of the 21 G samples, with G samples representing 11% of 193 island samples. Though treated separately in this study, Crete is part of Greece but with a different settlement history. Farther out in the Mediterranean, in a smaller sample size from Cyprus 4 of 7 G samples have the distinctive 21 value seen overwhelmingly in G-M406 persons.
Middle East Just to the south of Turkey among the Kurds of Iraq 7 of 14 likely G STR samples in the YHRD database have the value of 21 at DYS390 suggesting half the G population there belongs to G-M406. This relatively high percentage of G-M406 is confined to the country's northern Kurdish region.
Lebanon, Jordan and Palestine also have significant G-M406 populations though small sample sizes make broad conclusions difficult. In one study, 4 of 5 Palestinian G samples have the distinctive DYS390=21 value. In Lebanon, at least 10 of 37 G samples have G-M406 features and are found among all the major religions there. In Jordan, 7 of 15 available G samples have 21 at marker DYS390. None of the G samples among the Druze peoples in these locations have STR marker values typical of G-M406 persons according to recent studies. However, recent testing on Family TreeDNA points to some families whose origins lie in Palestine/Israel, but who have moved to Lebanon or Syria prior to the 1500-1700 period who happen to be carrying around 50-60% of the Druze among the Haplogroup G population in Druze. There is initially reasonable assurance the samples are within the DYS459=8 subgroup (that is also negative for its own DYS392=12 subgroup). Overall, these sets of related subgroups make up a major part of G-M406 men and are negative for the L14 and L645 SNP-defined subgroups. The sample has a few marker values that are a little different and the Druze samples have 22 at DYS390 compared to the more typical 21 in the majority of G-M406 samples. So this is good indirect evidence that at least half of the G among the Druze is G-M406. In Syria, G-M406 seems less common than in the countries closer to the Mediterranean. Only 3 of 17 G samples there have the 21 value discussed.
China G-M406 and its subclades G-PF3293, G-M3302 and G-L14 were found in the Hui People of China by 23mofang lab, totaling 0.66% of Hui people samples analyzed.
Of note regarding G-M3302 among the Hui is that all 5 testers actually belong to a much deeper subclade found only (for now) in Shandong Province. The actual clade is G-M3302>M3422>M3240>M3336>FT203871>FT27194>MF344148. The split at FT27194 occurred about 500 BC as estimated by TheYTree.
Other areas The largest source of G STR samples from Iran is the YHRD database where only 1 of 340 Iranian samples has a value of 21 for DYS390 together with the other marker values consistent with G-M406 samples. It is possible G-M406 persons in Iran have different STR marker values. The countries that share the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman with Iran were the subject of a separate small study which provided STR samples with G patterns similar to those in Iran. But the percentage of G-M406 (based on the 21 value) would seem higher than in Iran in Dubai with half of 6 G samples with 21. None of the three G samples from Yemen and Saudi Arabia had this DYS390 value.
In 2012 a published study on Iranian men "Ancient Migratory Events in the Middle East: New Clues from the Y Chromosome Variation of Modern Iranians" released a study with close to 1,000 Iranian samples. Of these 6.1% were G samples and 0.7% were G-M406+. This implies that up to 0.6 million Iranian men could be G-M406+. This would be the largest or second largest grouping in the world. At least two modern samples of the G-S3950+ branch are known to be of northern Iranian, likely Azeri origin.
In the Nasidze study of the Caucasus Mountains area, his 87 likely G STR samples now in the YHRD database have only 8 samples with the distinctive DYS390 value of 21 that is the overwhelming feature of the G-M406 group. Only in Georgia where 3 of 16 likely G samples have 21 does G-M406 apparently have a significant presence.
The Haplogroup G Project newsletter is gradually summarizing the percentage of G-M406 men in other areas based on the likely or proven G-M406 samples in the project's large project G database. This source has more reliability in identifying the totality of G-M406 samples because it does not rely on the value at STR marker DYS390 as the sole criterion. Of all the samples tested by FTDNA only 5% of G samples have the STR value of 21, and 75% have 22, interestingly 91% of samples of the E3a haplogroup also have the same STR value. See: https://freepages.rootsweb.com/~geneticgenealogy/genealogy/yfreq.htm
The newsletter indicates (in descending order) in Italy 20% of 156 G samples......Spain 15% of 56 G samples.....Netherlands 15% of 20 G samples......Switzerland 8% of 51 G samples.....Iran 6% of 34 G samples....Poland 4% of 75 G samples......France 4% of 46 G samples......Ireland 3% of 29 G samples.......India 3% of 18 G samples.