Haplogroup R2


Haplogroup R2, or R-M479, is a Y-chromosome haplogroup characterised by genetic marker M479. It is one of two primary descendants of Haplogroup R, the other being R1.
R-M479, especially its downstream R2a, has been concentrated geographically in South Asia, Central Asia and parts of the Middle East since prehistory. R2 appears to reach its highest levels among the Burusho people in North Pakistan.
R2 has much lower rates of sampling compared to its R1 counterpart with 399 branches downstream off R-M479, opposed to 46,529 for R-M173.
It has two primary branches: R2a and R2b

Structure

R
  • * R1
  • * R2
  • ** R2a
  • *** R2a1
  • *** R2a2
  • ** R2b
  • *** R2b1


''Source: ISOGG 2017.''

Geographical distribution

Most research has tested only for the presence of R-M479 and R-M124. Because the other primary branch, R2b was discovered later than R2a, it has often not been tested for. Hence most results are best described as R2.
In addition, relatively little research has been done within South Asia, which is known to have the greatest concentration of R2.
In 2013, R2 was found in 5 out of 19 males from the Burusho minority of North Pakistan.

R2a (R-M124)

Haplogroup R2a is characterised by SNPs M124, F820/Page4, L381, P249, and is mainly found in South Asia, with lower frequencies in Central Asia, Middle East and the Caucasus. R-M124 is also found in multiple Jewish populations: Iraqi Jews, Persian Jews, Mountain Jews, and Ashkenazi Jews.

R2b (R-FGC21706/ R-FGC50231)

It is found especially in the Indian subcontinent. On FTDNA the greatest frequency of R-FGC50231 testers originate from Pakistan, with 2% of testers being classified as R-FGC50231, additionally other prominent nations include, India, Afghanistan and Tajikistan.