Genome-wide evidence for the local ancestry of the Agotes from Navarra, Spain

Abstract

The Agotes are among the most enigmatic minority social groups in the Iberian Peninsula, historically subjected to long-standing social marginalization by their non-Agote neighbors. Nowadays, all Agotes live in the small town of Bozate (Baztan valley, Navarra, Spain), but their origins remain disputed, with different hypotheses. In this study, we analyze genome-wide genotype data from 125 newly sampled individuals from Bozate, the Baztan valley, and Navarra. Our findings indicate that the Agotes have a local genetic origin and exhibit high levels of homozygosity. Their isolation is likely due to socio-cultural reasons. Additionally, we find fine-scale genetic substructure within the broader Basque-like landscape, detecting the Agote and Baztan components as part of these microstructures, due to social or geographic isolation, respectively. Overall, our findings challenge the long-standing historical perception of the Agotes as a foreign group and suggest a shared genetic ancestry with the local populations.