Haplogroup P also known as P-P295 or K2b2 is a Y-chromosome DNA haplogroup in human genetics, it forms a clade within Haplogroup K2b (K-P331). Its sister clade within K2b is K2b1 (haplogroup MS).
It was proposed to redefine the root of Haplogroup P through the novel Single-nucleotide polymorphism PF5850, yet this is so far not reflected in the International Society of Genetic Genealogy Y-DNA Haplogroup Tree nor in scientific publications.
Basal PF5850* is found in Southeast Asia. Basal P-P295* is found among South and Southeast Asians as well as Oceanians, P-FT292000 (P1b, formerly P3) with unknown distribution, and P-M45* (P1~*) commonly found among Siberians and Central Asians. P-M45 is the parent node of Haplogroup Q (Q-M242) and Haplogroup R (R-M207).
The major subclades of Haplogroups P-M45, Q and R now include most males among Europeans, Native Americans, South Asians, North Africans, and Central Asians.
Karafet et al. 2015 suggests an origin and dispersal of haplogroup P and its ancestral clade K from either South Asia or Southeast Asia as part of the early human dispersal, based on the distribution of subclades of P-P295 and more ancient clades such as K1 and K2. However, Karafet, et al. mentions that this hypothesis is "parsimonious" and K may have alternatively originated elsewhere in Eurasia and later went extinct there. According to a geneticist Spencer Wells, haplogroup K, from which haplogroup P descended, originated most likely in the Middle East or Central Asia. According to Bergstorm et al (2016), haplogroup K2b1 (Y-haplogroup S/M) found in Indigenous Australians and ancestors of haplogroup R and Q (Y-haplogroup K2b2/root P) split in Southeast Asia near Sahul.
The highest frequency and diversity of haplogroup P clades is observed in Southeast Asia, specifically on the Malay Peninsula and the Philippines. To date, the ancestral clade K2b has only been confirmed among the 39,000 year old Tianyuan man.
The subclades of Haplogroup P with their defining mutation(s):
K2b
PF5850* was found among a Jehai sample in Malaysia. Basal P1* was also found in one historical 19th-century Andaman islander.
This paraphyletic group comprises all subclades of P-P295 except for the main clade P-M45 (thus also excludes haplogroups Q and R). The position of P1~ alias P-M45 within P is not confirmed, thus the tilde suffix. Because P2 (P-F20148) was discovered relatively recently, it is not always clear if older studies have screened for it. Therefore, cases reported as P-P295* or K2b2* in older literature likely include P-B253.
P*(xP1~) exists at low to moderate levels among various groups in Island South East Asia, the South West Pacific and East Asia.
P*(xP1~) is found at its highest rate among members of the Aeta (or Agta), a people indigenous to Luzon who formed from various ancient groups, such as Oceanians and Austronesian peoples from Taiwan. P1*(xQ,R) is most common among individuals in Siberia and Central Asia, as well as in Southern Asian at lower frequency.
Derived P1~ (P-M45) has been found among the Ancient North Eurasian Yana specimens, which carried around 29âÂÂ51% ancestry from an East Eurasian source represented by the Tianyuan man.
Many modern ethnic groups with high frequencies of P1~, also known as P-M45 and K2b2a, are located in Central Asia and Siberia: 35.4% among Tuvans, 28.3% among Altai-Kizhi (PxQ-M3,R1), and 35% among Nivkh males.
ç May include members of haplogroup R2.
Near universal in the Kets (95%) of Siberia. Very common in pre-modern Native American populations and Selkups, except for the Na-Dene peoples, where it reaches 50-90%. Also common, at 25-50% in Siberian populations such as the Siberian Tatars, Nivkh, Tuvans, Chukchi, Siberian Eskimos, Northern Altaians, and in 70% of Turkmens.
The only discovered case of basal R* (i.e. one that does not belong to R1 or R2) is the Mal'ta Boy in the Upper Paleolithic on the upper Angara River in the area west of Lake Baikal in the Irkutsk Oblast, Siberia, Russian Federation.
Haplogroup R2 is most common in South Asia and south Central Asia, as well as diaspora populations, such as the Romanis.
The Aeta (or Agta) people of Luzon in the Philippines have also provided the only known samples of P2a~ (P-B253).