Genetic landscape of populations along the Silk Road: admixture and migration patterns

摘要

BackgroundThe ancient Silk Road has been a trading route between Europe and Central Asia from the 2^nd century BCE to the 15^th century CE. While most populations on this route have been characterized, the genetic background of others remains poorly understood, and little is known about past migration patterns. The scientific expedition “Marco Polo” has recently collected genetic and phenotypic data in six regions (Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan) along the Silk Road to study the genetics of a number of phenotypes.