174
ISEA agree that material culture and linguistic changes did take place during the
Holocene through acculturation process, rather than involving population movements and changes. This view is well supported by molecular dating of the frequently revised molecular clock of maternally inherited mtDNA haplogroups, and
it indicated Pleistocene colonisation and evolution of people already settled in
ISEA. The indigenous origins suggest ISEA as the major source of people in AsiaPacific region, including Austronesians, based on the age of several candidate “Out
of Taiwan” mtDNA haplotypes (e.g. E and B4a1a), which appear to be older than
those in Taiwan aboriginals. Or, it may also be the most probable homeland of
Malayo-Polynesians (the Batanes Islands) to interpret as indigenous evolution in
ISEA before Neolithic expansion in Southern China/Taiwan (Soares et al. 2016),
but receive no support from linguistic, archaeological and anthropological studies
(Ross 2005; Bellwood 1997). In this context, the molecular clock should be validated using archaeological records, which is sparse in ISEA. This is not the case in
Southern China, Vietnam, Philippines and Oceania, where a relatively large number
of archaeological specimens are available for validation (Bellwood 1997).
In contrast, genetic data from autosomal markers are much more credible to
support various ancestries in ISEA compared with the uniparentally inherited
mtDNA haplotypic data, which are more affected by the founder effects and sexbiased gene flow, especially in ISEA, which is occupied by either matrilocal- or
patrilocal- marriage practice societies. The effects on mtDNA and male-specific
uniparental Y-chromosome markers may mean the ancestry components revealed
from both mtDNA and Y-chromosome analyses do not directly parallel what has
been demonstrated in the genome-wide studies; see Soares et al. (2016) for an
attempt to directly link information derived from uniparental and genomic ancestral
fractions. Our own findings on various immune systems and genes that determine
tissue compatibility in transfusion and transplantation showed various ancestral
fractions in Malaysian sub-populations. Even though these genes are more affected
by selective pressure, they still yield relatively strong ancestral signals from the loci
of their immune cells, such as the killer-cell immunoglobulin-like receptor (KIR) in
natural killer cells and other genes in platelets, neutrophils, leukocytes and
lymphocyres. . These can differentiate the Semang, Senoi and Proto-Malays (Manaf
et al. 2016; Norhalifah et al. 2016b; Syafawati et al. 2016; Tasnim et al. 2016;
NurWaliyuddin et al. 2015) (Table 2 and Fig. 5). For example, there is high frequency
of KIR haplotype B (KIR2DL1, KIR2DL3, KIR3DL1, KIR3DL3, KIR2DS4,
KIR2DL2, KIR2DL5, KIR3DS1, KIR2DS1, KIR2DS2, KIR2DS3, KIR 2DS5,
KIR2DP1, KIR3DP1, KIR3DL2 and KIR2DL4) and KIR haplotype A (KIR2DL1,
KIR2DL3, KIR3DL1, KIR3DL3, KIR2DS4, KIR2DP1, KIR3DP1, KIR3DL2 and
KIR2DL4) among the Semang (Lanoh, Bateq and Kensiu) and Senoi (Semai and
Che Wong). The KIR haplotypes A and B are frequently found in descendants of
Africans and Indochinese populations (NurWaliyuddin et al. 2015) and play a vital
role in fighting infectious diseases and reproduction, respectively (Chambers et al.
2016). The possible clinical consequences of these ancestral fractions in Orang Asli
are important future subjects for disease association studies as has previously been
conducted by Edinur et al. (2013) and Chambers et al. (2016) in Polynesians.
A. T. Ahmad et al.
ISEA agree that material culture and linguistic changes did take place during the
Holocene through acculturation process, rather than involving population movements and changes. This view is well supported by molecular dating of the frequently revised molecular clock of maternally inherited mtDNA haplogroups, and
it indicated Pleistocene colonisation and evolution of people already settled in
ISEA. The indigenous origins suggest ISEA as the major source of people in AsiaPacific region, including Austronesians, based on the age of several candidate “Out
of Taiwan” mtDNA haplotypes (e.g. E and B4a1a), which appear to be older than
those in Taiwan aboriginals. Or, it may also be the most probable homeland of
Malayo-Polynesians (the Batanes Islands) to interpret as indigenous evolution in
ISEA before Neolithic expansion in Southern China/Taiwan (Soares et al. 2016),
but receive no support from linguistic, archaeological and anthropological studies
(Ross 2005; Bellwood 1997). In this context, the molecular clock should be validated using archaeological records, which is sparse in ISEA. This is not the case in
Southern China, Vietnam, Philippines and Oceania, where a relatively large number
of archaeological specimens are available for validation (Bellwood 1997).
In contrast, genetic data from autosomal markers are much more credible to
support various ancestries in ISEA compared with the uniparentally inherited
mtDNA haplotypic data, which are more affected by the founder effects and sexbiased gene flow, especially in ISEA, which is occupied by either matrilocal- or
patrilocal- marriage practice societies. The effects on mtDNA and male-specific
uniparental Y-chromosome markers may mean the ancestry components revealed
from both mtDNA and Y-chromosome analyses do not directly parallel what has
been demonstrated in the genome-wide studies; see Soares et al. (2016) for an
attempt to directly link information derived from uniparental and genomic ancestral
fractions. Our own findings on various immune systems and genes that determine
tissue compatibility in transfusion and transplantation showed various ancestral
fractions in Malaysian sub-populations. Even though these genes are more affected
by selective pressure, they still yield relatively strong ancestral signals from the loci
of their immune cells, such as the killer-cell immunoglobulin-like receptor (KIR) in
natural killer cells and other genes in platelets, neutrophils, leukocytes and
lymphocyres. . These can differentiate the Semang, Senoi and Proto-Malays (Manaf
et al. 2016; Norhalifah et al. 2016b; Syafawati et al. 2016; Tasnim et al. 2016;
NurWaliyuddin et al. 2015) (Table 2 and Fig. 5). For example, there is high frequency
of KIR haplotype B (KIR2DL1, KIR2DL3, KIR3DL1, KIR3DL3, KIR2DS4,
KIR2DL2, KIR2DL5, KIR3DS1, KIR2DS1, KIR2DS2, KIR2DS3, KIR 2DS5,
KIR2DP1, KIR3DP1, KIR3DL2 and KIR2DL4) and KIR haplotype A (KIR2DL1,
KIR2DL3, KIR3DL1, KIR3DL3, KIR2DS4, KIR2DP1, KIR3DP1, KIR3DL2 and
KIR2DL4) among the Semang (Lanoh, Bateq and Kensiu) and Senoi (Semai and
Che Wong). The KIR haplotypes A and B are frequently found in descendants of
Africans and Indochinese populations (NurWaliyuddin et al. 2015) and play a vital
role in fighting infectious diseases and reproduction, respectively (Chambers et al.
2016). The possible clinical consequences of these ancestral fractions in Orang Asli
are important future subjects for disease association studies as has previously been
conducted by Edinur et al. (2013) and Chambers et al. (2016) in Polynesians.
A. T. Ahmad et al.