Haplogroup Q3 (Y-DNA)

In human genetics, Haplogroup Q3 (M3) is a Y-chromosome DNA haplogroup.

This haplogroup contains the patrilineal ancestors of almost all of the indigenous peoples of the Americas.

Haplogroup Q3 is a descendant of Haplogroup Q (M242). Since the parent Q (M242) appears in both Asia and the Americas, while Q3 (M3) appears only in the Americas, it is believed that the mutation M3 occurred in North America after migration across the Bering Strait had ceased.

The only Y-chromosomes believed to represent patrilineal descent from one of the indigenous peoples of the Americas that are not of Haplogroup Q* (M242) or Haplogroup Q3 (M3) are those of Haplogroup C3 (M217), which is commonly found among today's Na-Dené speakers. Na-Dené speakers are also unusual among indigenous peoples of the Americas in having a relatively high frequency of Q* and C and a low frequency of Q3.

Subgroups
The subclades of Haplogroup Q3 with their defining mutation, according to the 2006 ISOGG tree:


 * Q1c1 (M3) Typical of indigenous peoples of the Americas
 * Q1c1*
 * Q1c1a (M19) Found among some indigenous peoples of South America, such as the Ticuna and the Wayuu
 * Q1c1b (M194)
 * Q1c1c (M199,P106,P292)