Genetic ancestry of the Mulam ethnic group: admixture from ancient Yellow River, southern native, and Austronesian populations

The Mulam people, an ethnic minority group native to southern China, primarily inhabit the Guangxi region. Systematic whole-genome studies on the Mulam population remain limited. In this study, we analyzed genome-wide genotyping data comprising over 700,000 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) derived from 107 saliva samples of Mulam individuals in Guangxi, to investigate their genetic origins and relationships with other southern East Asian populations. Based on ancestry inference and population genetic analysis, we identified three major ancestral components in the Mulam genome: ancient Yellow River farmers, indigenous southern East Asian populations, and Austronesian-related groups. These results support historical records indicating that the proto-Mulam were formed through the integration of ancient Yellow River migrants with indigenous southern East Asian communities. Furthermore, shared southern East Asian ancestry reveals a genetic link between the Mulam and Taiwanese indigenous peoples, likely resulting from prehistoric southward population movements. This study emphasizes the complex genetic makeup of the Mulam people and offers new perspectives on population history and dynamics in East Asia.