Brief communication demonstrates the existence of new mitochondrial lineages in Chilean populations, suggesting genetic continuity with ancient ancestors.
Objectives To report a modern mitogenome akin to the one retrieved from an ancient Patagonian and to analyze the presence of putatively related lineages among available datasets. Materials and Methods We surveyed an in‐house database of mtDNA sequences of Native American/First Nation origin and an unpublished dataset of Chilean populations for relevant matches to any haplogroup B sequence carrying 16409C. We also queried EMPOP, a database from the forensic scientific community. A phylogenetic analysis was performed with five available B2b15 complete mtDNA sequences. Results Two relevant matches, including one complete mtDNA sequence, were found in the in‐house database while three control region‐only matches were found among Chileans. The new complete mtDNA sequence allowed us to define a new branch of B2b15, to which all the control region matches are inferred to belong. Discussion Increased availability and diversity of complete mtDNAs may lead to a revised definition of haplogroups and subhaplogroups. The newly defined branch B2b15b, previously known only by one ancient Patagonian haplotype, can now be interpreted as being present among extant Chileans.
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Orellana‐Soto et al. (2026) studied this question.
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