Decoding the Han paternal legacy: a Y chromosomal genealogy of Xuzhou as the cradle of the Han civilization.

Xuzhou, hailed as the Oriental Athens, holds a pivotal position in the development of Han Chinese culture. This study delves into the genetic makeup of the Xuzhou Han population utilizing Y-chromosomal markers, aiming to enrich population genetics and forensic science research. We analyzed 638 unrelated males from Pei County, Xuzhou, through the SureID^® PathFinder Plus Kit. The pairwise genetic relationships were compared between the Xuzhou Han and 52 other Chinese population. We employed the k-nearest neighbor algorithm for Y-SNP haplogroup prediction and Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA) for category forecasting. Most Y-STR loci exhibited high polymorphism, with the exception of DYS645. The Xuzhou Han population showcased a haplotype diversity of 0.9997 and a discrimination capacity of 0.9708. Genetic similarities were detected among Han populations across the nation, with the Xuzhou Han revealing a prevalence of Y haplogroups O2a2 and O2a1. Comparisons of haplogroup distributions across 55 contemporary Chinese ethnic groups and ancient DNA from 59 archaeological sites unveiled the widespread presence of the O2 haplogroup before the Han Dynasty. Our research also underscores the Y chromosomal genealogy continuity of the O2 population in northern China from the Neolithic to modern times. Meanwhile, LDA hints a long history of integration between Jiangsu Han groups. Nevertheless, the Xuzhou Han still exhibited an extremely high O2a2 ratio, reflecting the rapid expansion of this patrilineal familys population base throughout history. Our study is not only expected to have a positive impact on the reconstruction of the local patrilineal history, but also defined forensic applications and deepens the understanding of Han Chinese culture through the lens of paternal genetics.