No trace of Neanderthal DNA on modern Y chromosome

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The human genome features ancient fragments of Neanderthal DNA. New research, however, suggests the Neanderthal equivalent of the modern male Y chromosome is no more.

Geneticists at Stanford were able to determine that Y chromosomes of modern males — the chromosome passed exclusively from father to son — are without Neanderthal genes.

Previously, studies only looked at DNA from the fossils of Neanderthal women or from mitochondrial DNA, which is passed from mothers to all their children. Researchers say this is the first study to examine a Neanderthal Y chromosome.

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The new analysis of the human and Neanderthal Y chromosomes also allowed scientists to pinpoint the evolutionary split of Neanderthals and Homo sapiens. Previous estimates had the lineages diverging between 800,000 and 400,000 years ago. The new findings place the divergence at 550,000 years ago.

Read full, original post: Modern male DNA without Y chromosome genes from Neanderthals