Paternal lineages signal distinct genetic contributions from British Loyalists and continental Africans among different Bahamian islands

Over the past 500 years, the Bahamas has been influenced by a wide array of settlers, some of whom have left marked genetic imprints throughout the archipelago. To assess the extent of each group's genetic contributions, high-resolution Y-chromosome analyses were performed, for the first time, to delineate the patriarchal ancestry of six islands in the Northwest (Abaco and Grand Bahama) and Central (Eleuthera, Exuma, Long Island, and New Providence) Bahamas and their genetic relationships with previously published reference populations. Our results reveal genetic signals emanating primarily from African and European sources, with the predominantly sub-Saharan African and Western European haplogroups E1b1a-M2 and R1b1b1-M269, respectively, accounting for greater than 75% of all Bahamian patrilineages. Surprisingly, we observe notable discrepancies among the six Bahamian populations in their distribution of these lineages, with E1b1a-M2 predominating Y-chromosomes in the collections from Abaco, Exuma, Eleuthera, Grand Bahama, and New Providence, whereas R1b1b1-M269 is found at elevated levels in the Long Island population. Substantial Y-STR haplotype variation within sub-haplogroups E1b1a7a-U174 and E1b1ba8-U175 (greater than any continental African collection) is also noted, possibly indicating genetic influences from a variety of West and Central African groups. Furthermore, differential European genetic contributions in each island (with the exception of Exuma) reflect settlement patterns of the British Loyalists subsequent to the American Revolution.     

Population analysis of vitamin D receptor polymorphisms and the role of genetic ancestry in an admixed population

The vitamin D receptor (VDR) is an essential protein related to bone metabolism. Some VDR alleles are differentially distributed among ethnic populations and display variable patterns of linkage disequilibrium (LD). In this study, 200 unrelated Brazilians were genotyped using 21 VDR single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and 28 ancestry informative markers. The patterns of LD and haplotype distribution were compared among Brazilian and the HapMap populations of African (YRI), European (CEU) and Asian (JPT+CHB) origins. Conditional regression and haplotype-specific analysis were performed using estimates of individual genetic ancestry in Brazilians as a quantitative trait. Similar patterns of LD were observed in the 5' and 3' gene regions. However, the frequency distribution of haplotype blocks varied among populations. Conditional regression analysis identified haplotypes associated with European and Amerindian ancestry, but not with the proportion of African ancestry. Individual ancestry estimates were associated with VDR haplotypes. These findings reinforce the need to correct for population stratification when performing genetic association studies in admixed populations.     

Y-Chromosome Haplotypes in the Greek–Turkish Area

Various populations have contributed to the present-day gene pool in oriental Mediterranean (Aegean Sea) and are well documented for ancient history. The primary objective of the study is to report on the analysis of the paternal component of the variation (Y chromosome haplotypes) in contemporary populations in Greece, Crete, Turkey and Cyprus. A total of 245 males who hailed from five different locations in Turkey, Greece, and the islands of Crete and Cyprus were analyzed for Y-chromosome-specific haplotypes based on p49a,f TaqI polymorphism. The main haplotype observed (21.2%) in the Greek–Turkish area is haplotype VII. The second haplotype in terms of frequency (13.5%) is haplotype VIII, which is characteristic of Semitic populations. The third (11.4%), fourth (6.9%) and fifth (5.7%) haplotypes in frequency are haplotype XI (a typical eastern European haplotype), haplotype V (the North African haplotype) and haplotype XV (the Western European haplotype), respectively. The distribution of haplotype VII is significantly heterogeneous genetically among the five localities studied, with a peak of frequency (43.8%) in Crete. It is proposed that haplotype VII reflects the ancient Minoan civilization. Haplotype VII frequencies actually known are mapped in countries surrounding the Mediterranean Sea.     

An anthropological genetic perspective on creolization in the anglophone caribbean

Variable socio‐cultural influences developed in the colonial Caribbean as a result of competing European hegemonic rule. In this study, we examine how colonial regulations regarding social hierarchies and mate choice worked to influence the genetic landscape of contemporary African Caribbean populations. To this end, 420 individuals from Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, St. Thomas, St. Vincent, Jamaica, and Trinidad were genotyped for 105 autosomal ancestry informative markers. Based on these data, population substructure and admixture were assessed using an exact test, a model‐based clustering method, and principal components analysis. On average, individual admixture estimates of the pooled African Caribbean sample were 77% (SD ± 18%) West African, 15% (SD ± 15%) European, and 7.7% (SD ± 8%) Native American. In general, ancestry estimates were significantly different between Dominica and all other islands. Genetic structure analyses indicated subdivision into two subpopulations on most islands. Finally, unlike all of the other Caribbean populations that clustered adjacent to African populations, the Dominican population was more intermediate between the three parental groups in the principal components plot. As a result of the significant French influence throughout Dominican history, Dominica did not have the same cultural influences that typified other Anglophone colonies. Consequently, there were different social hierarchies and resulting mate choices on Dominica compared with the other considered islands. This study highlights the complex socio‐cultural history of a broad region of the Caribbean and attests to the interplay between social and biological factors in shaping the genetic diversity present in present‐day communities. Am J Phys Anthropol 151:135–143, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Cavity use and breeding biology of endangered Bahama Swallows (Tachycineta cyaneoviridis): implications for conservation

Bird populations, especially on islands, have declined or gone extinct due to overhunting, habitat loss and fragmentation, and adverse effects of the introduction of non-native species. Bahama Swallows (Tachycineta cyaneoviridis), endangered secondary cavity nesters that breed on only three islands in the northern Bahamas, are an island species with a declining population, but the causes of this decline are unknown. During four breeding seasons on Great Abaco Island (2014–2017), we identified cavity-nesting resources used by breeding swallows in native pine forest and other habitats, and estimated phenology and breeding parameters from a subset of nests. Bahama Swallows nest in cavities in a variety of structures, but rely most on woodpecker-excavated cavities in pine snags and utility poles. Swallows nesting in cavities in pine snags had higher fledging success (92%) than those nesting in cavities in utility poles (50–62%), which were concentrated in non-pine habitat that may expose swallows to predation and increased competition for nest cavities from other species. The high reproductive success of Bahama Swallows nesting in the pine forest indicates that the decline in population cannot be attributed to poor productivity on southern Great Abaco. However, our results suggest that the dependence of Bahama Swallows on cavities excavated by Hairy Woodpeckers (Dryobates villosus) for nesting sites may be a factor in their decline, and highlight the potential importance of the protection and management of pine forests in future efforts to ensure the survival of Bahama Swallows.     

Indigenous and foreign Y-chromosomes characterize the Lingayat and Vokkaliga populations of Southwest India

Previous studies have shown that India's vast coastal rim played an important role in the dispersal of modern humans out of Africa but the Karnataka state, which is located on the southwest coast of India, remains poorly characterized genetically. In the present study, two Dravidian populations, namely Lingayat (N = 101) and Vokkaliga (N = 102), who represent the two major communities of the Karnataka state, were examined using high-resolution analyses of Y-chromosome single nucleotide polymorphisms (Y-SNPs) and seventeen short tandem repeat (Y-STR) loci. Our results revealed that the majority of the Lingayat and Vokkaliga paternal gene pools are composed of four Y-chromosomal haplogroups (H, L, F* and R2) that are frequent in the Indian subcontinent. The high level of L1-M76 chromosomes in the Vokkaligas suggests an agricultural expansion in the region, while the predominance of R1a1a1b2-Z93 and J2a-M410 lineages in the Lingayat indicates gene flow from neighboring south Indian populations and West Asia, respectively. Lingayat (0.9981) also exhibits a relatively high haplotype diversity compared to Vokkaliga (0.9901), supporting the historical record that the Lingayat originated from multiple source populations. In addition, we detected ancient lineages such as F*-M213, H*-M69 and C*-M216 that may be indicative of genetic signatures of the earliest settlers who reached India after their migration out of Africa.     

Patterns of intraspecific diversification in the Piriqueta caroliniana complex in southeastern North America and the Bahamas

Abstract.— We use chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) variation and nested clade phylogeographic analyses to infer the historical processes that have contributed to the high level of morphological and ecological diversification present in a group of herbaceous perennials (the Piriqueta caroliniana complex) in North America and the Bahamas. The presence of morphologically distinct and intercompatible varieties (morphotypes) that can be distinguished based on suites of taxonomic characters (e.g., leaf shape, pubescence type, stature) and contrasting habitat affinities (from marshes to dry pinelands and sand scrub) makes this group particularly appropriate for studies of intraspecific diversification. To examine the distribution of haplotypes among populations, we sampled 467 individuals from 55 locations in Florida, Georgia, and the northern Bahamas (Grand Bahama and Abaco) and screened each individual for cpDNA variation using restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) and heteroduplex analyses. We develop a one-step haplotype phylogeny for this group and use the geographic distributions of haplotypes and clades to test specific phylogeographic hypotheses using the methods developed by Templeton and his colleagues (Templeton 1998). In general, the distribution of haplotypes was strongly influenced by limited dispersal distances, with the more recently derived haplotypes having much lower levels of dispersion and lower frequencies in populations than the ancestral haplotypes. The patterns of clade and haplotype dispersion and displacement and the distribution of morphotypes imply at least three cases of long-distance dispersal and one case of historical fragmentation. The historical patterns inferred for populations of Piriqueta are consistent with known biogeographical events, historical vegetation change, and the concordant patterns of multiple Pleistocene refugia that have been observed for a number of other taxa in southeastern North America.     

High-resolution analysis of Y-chromosomal polymorphisms reveals signatures of population movements from central Asia and West Asia into India

Linguistic evidence suggests that West Asia and Central Asia have been the two major geographical sources of genes in the contemporary Indian gene pool. To test the nature and extent of similarities in the gene pools of these regions we have collected DNA samples from four ethnic populations of northern India, and have screened these samples for a set of 18 Y-chromosome polymorphic markers (12 unique event polymorphisms and six short tandem repeats). These data from Indian populations have been analysed in conjunction with published data from several West Asian and Central Asian populations. Our analyses have revealed traces of population movement from Central Asia and West Asia into India. Two haplogroups, HG-3 and HG-9, which are known to have arisen in the Central Asian region, are found in reasonably high frequencies (41.7% and 14.3% respectively) in the study populations. The ages estimated for these two haplogroups are less in the Indian populations than those estimated from data on Middle Eastern populations. A neighbour-joining tree based on Y-haplogroup frequencies shows that the North Indians are genetically placed between the West Asian and Central Asian populations. This is consistent with gene flow from West Asia and Central Asia into India.     

山西汉族17个Y-STR基因座遗传多态性及遗传关系

为了调查山西汉族群体17个Y-STR基因座的多态性分布,探讨其群体遗传学及法医学应用价值,文章应用Y-filer TM试剂盒检测222名山西汉族无关男性个体的17个Y-STR基因座,用ABI3130遗传分析仪进行基因分型,计算等位基因频率及单倍型多样性,并结合已公开发表的国内其他13个群体相关数据资料,分析山西汉族群体遗传距离和聚类关系。结果:山西汉族个体中共检出219种单倍型,单倍型多样性为0.9999;基因多样性GD值在0.3894(DYS391)~0.9755(DYS385a/b)。从遗传距离分析发现,山西汉族与吉黑汉族之间的遗传距离最近(?0.0001),与台湾群体(0.0152)之间的遗传距离相对较远。结果表明该17个Y-STR基因座在山西汉族群体中具有丰富的遗传多态性,对建立Y染色体STR数据库、研究群体遗传学和进行法医学应用有重要意义。     

Globally dispersed Y chromosomal haplotypes in wild and domestic sheep

To date, investigations of genetic diversity and the origins of domestication in sheep have utilised autosomal microsatellites and variation in the mitochondrial genome. We present the first analysis of both domestic and wild sheep using genetic markers residing on the ovine Y chromosome. Analysis of a single nucleotide polymorphism (oY1) in the SRY promoter region revealed that allele A-oY1 was present in all wild bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis), two subspecies of thinhorn sheep (Ovis dalli), European Mouflon (Ovis musimon) and the Barbary (Ammontragis lervia). A-oY1 also had the highest frequency (71.4%) within 458 domestic sheep drawn from 65 breeds sampled from Africa, Asia, Australia, the Caribbean, Europe, the Middle East and Central Asia. Sequence analysis of a second locus, microsatellite SRYM18, revealed a compound repeat array displaying fixed differences, which identified bighorn and thinhorn sheep as distinct from the European Mouflon and domestic animals. Combined genotypic data identified 11 male-specific haplotypes that represented at least two separate lineages. Investigation of the geographical distribution of each haplotype revealed that one (H6) was both very common and widespread in the global sample of domestic breeds. The remaining haplotypes each displayed more restricted and informative distributions. For example, H5 was likely founded following the domestication of European breeds and was used to trace the recent transportation of animals to both the Caribbean and Australia. A high rate of Y chromosomal dispersal appears to have taken place during the development of domestic sheep as only 12.9% of the total observed variation was partitioned between major geographical regions.     

African DNA Lineages in the Mitochondrial Gene Pool of Europeans

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) nucleotide sequences of African origin are found in various European populations at a low frequency (on average, less than 1%). Data on mtDNA variation in Eurasian and African populations have been analyzed, and African mtDNA lineages have been found in Europeans. It has been demonstrated that, despite the high diversity of mtDNA haplotypes of African origin in Europeans, few monophyletic clusters of African lineages are characterized by long-term diversity formed in Europe. Only two such mtDNA clusters (from haplogroups L1b and L3b) have been found, their evolutionary age not exceeding 6500 years. European and African populations have been compared with respect to the frequency distributions of the alleles of autosomal microsatellite loci found in Russian carriers of African mtDNA haplotypes. It has been demonstrated that alleles typical of Europeans are characteristic of the autosomal genotypes of these Russian individuals.     

7个Y-STR基因座荧光标记复合分型及在中国汉族群体中遗传多态性的研究

建立了FAM（蓝色荧光）标记的DYS456、DYS464a/b/c/d和DYS527a/b和JOE(绿色荧光)标记的DYS531、DYS709、DYS448和DYS522 7个Y染色体STR基因座(相当于11个位点)复合扩增分型体系。利用ABI3100遗传分析仪调查中国广东汉族151例和河南106例汉族无关男性个体的遗传多态性分布, 并探讨在法医学中的应用价值。结果显示, 此方法能作出正确分型的最低基因组DNA量为0.02 ng; 在女性成份为男性成份150倍的混合DNA样本(总DNA量为160 ng)中能正确检出全部7个Y-STR基因座的基因型。 广东和河南2个汉族男性群体中, 观察到的单体型分别有150、105种, 其中仅观察到1次的单体型分别有149、104种, 单体型多样性(HD)分别为0.999912、0.999820; 这组Y-STR单体型在两个群体中的分布差异有统计学显著意义(秩和检验: P<0.001)。此7个Y-STR基因座多态性分析适用于法医学实践和人类进化的研究。     

基于线粒体16S rRNA基因的舟山群岛碧蛾蜡蝉种群遗传多样性分析

【目的】揭示岛屿隔离效应对舟山群岛及邻近大陆碧蛾蜡蝉Geisha distinctissima种群遗传多样性的影响。【方法】依据本研究获取的舟山群岛(11个岛屿)及邻近大陆15个种群共247头碧蛾蜡蝉样本的16S rRNA基因序列,对该地区种群进行遗传多样性评估;采用贝叶斯推断法构建系统发育树并绘制单倍型网络图,以解析种群间的遗传结构;通过中性检验、错配分布分析和贝叶斯天空线(Bayesian skyline plot, BSP)分析,探讨该地区碧蛾蜡蝉的种群历史动态。【结果】贝叶斯系统树及单倍型网络图均没有解析出舟山群岛碧蛾蜡蝉种群明显的遗传结构。且分子方差分析发现,遗传变异主要集中在种群内部(种群内变异占68.26%),种群间没有明显的遗传分化,显示了该地区碧蛾蜡蝉种群遗传多样性的均质化。不同种群间的单倍型多态性和核苷酸多态性与大陆-岛屿距离及岛屿隔离时间不相关。中性检验分析检测到Tajima’s D和Fu’s Fs均呈显著的负值,且错配分布分析呈现出典型的单峰,表明该地区碧蛾蜡蝉种群发生了近期的种群扩张事件。BSP分析表明,这种扩张事件发生在大约0.5～3.5千年前。【结论】岛屿隔离效应可能不足以驱使舟山群岛及邻近大陆的碧蛾蜡蝉种群遗传多样性产生明显的差异。     

The Admixture Structure and Genetic Variation of the Archipelago of Cape Verde and Its Implications for Admixture Mapping Studies

Recently admixed populations offer unique opportunities for studying human history and for elucidating the genetic basis of complex traits that differ in prevalence between human populations. Historical records, classical protein markers, and preliminary genetic data indicate that the Cape Verde islands in West Africa are highly admixed and primarily descended from European males and African females. However, little is known about the variation in admixture levels, admixture dynamics and genetic diversity across the islands, or about the potential of Cape Verde for admixture mapping studies. We have performed a detailed analysis of phenotypic and genetic variation in Cape Verde based on objective skin color measurements, socio-economic status (SES) evaluations and data for 50 autosomal, 34 X-chromosome, and 21 non-recombinant Y-chromosome (NRY) markers in 845 individuals from six islands of the archipelago. We find extensive genetic admixture between European and African ancestral populations (mean West African ancestry = 0.57, sd = 0.08), with individual African ancestry proportions varying considerably among the islands. African ancestry proportions calculated with X and Y-chromosome markers confirm that the pattern of admixture has been sex-biased. The high-resolution NRY-STRs reveal additional patterns of variation among the islands that are most consistent with differentiation after admixture. The differences in the autosomal admixture proportions are clearly evident in the skin color distribution across the islands (Pearson r = 0.54, P-value<2e–16). Despite this strong correlation, there are significant interactions between SES and skin color that are independent of the relationship between skin color and genetic ancestry. The observed distributions of admixture, genetic variation and skin color and the relationship of skin color with SES relate to historical and social events taking place during the settlement history of Cape Verde, and have implications for the design of association studies using this population.     

Increased Y-chromosome resolution of haplogroup O suggests genetic ties between the Ami aborigines of Taiwan and the Polynesian Islands of Samoa and Tonga

The Austronesian expansion has left its fingerprint throughout two thirds of the circumference of the globe reaching the island of Madagascar in East Africa to the west and Easter Island, off the coast of Chile, to the east. To date, several theories exist to explain the current genetic distribution of Austronesian populations, with the “slow boat” model being the most widely accepted, though other conjectures (i.e., the “express train” and “entangled bank” hypotheses) have also been widely discussed. In the current study, 158 Y chromosomes from the Polynesian archipelagos of Samoa and Tonga were typed using high resolution binary markers and compared to populations across Mainland East Asia, Taiwan, Island Southeast Asia, Melanesia and Polynesia in order to establish their patrilineal genetic relationships. Y-STR haplotypes on the C2 (M38), C2a (M208), O1a (M119), O3 (M122) and O3a2 (P201) backgrounds were utilized in an attempt to identify the differing sources of the current Y-chromosomal haplogroups present throughout Polynesia (of Melanesian and/or Asian descent). We find that, while haplogroups C2a, S and K3-P79 suggest a Melanesian component in 23%-42% of the Samoan and Tongan Y chromosomes, the majority of the paternal Polynesian gene pool exhibits ties to East Asia. In particular, the prominence of sub-haplogroup O3a2c* (P164), which has previously been observed at only minimal levels in Mainland East Asians (2.0-4.5%), in both Polynesians (ranging from 19% in Manua to 54% in Tonga) and Ami aborigines from Taiwan (37%) provides, for the first time, evidence for a genetic connection between the Polynesian populations and the Ami.     

Sex-linked and autosomal microsatellites provide new insights into island populations of the tammar wallaby

The emerging availability of microsatellite markers from mammalian sex chromosomes provides opportunities to investigate both male- and female-mediated gene flow in wild populations, identifying patterns not apparent from the analysis of autosomal markers alone. Tammar wallabies (Macropus eugenii), once spread over the southern mainland, have been isolated on several islands off the Western Australian and South Australian coastlines for between 10 000 and 13 000 years. Here, we combine analyses of autosomal, Y-linked and X-linked microsatellite loci to investigate genetic variation in populations of this species on two islands (Kangaroo Island, South Australia and Garden Island, Western Australia). All measures of diversity were higher for the larger Kangaroo Island population, in which genetic variation was lowest at Y-linked markers and highest at autosomal markers (θ=3.291, 1.208 and 0.627 for autosomal, X-linked and Y-linked data, respectively). Greater relatedness among females than males provides evidence for male-biased dispersal in this population, while sex-linked markers identified genetic lineages not apparent from autosomal data alone. Overall genetic diversity in the Garden Island population was low, especially on the Y chromosome where most males shared a common haplotype, and we observed high levels of inbreeding and relatedness among individuals. Our findings highlight the utility of this approach for management actions, such as the selection of animals for translocation or captive breeding, and the ecological insights that may be gained by combining analyses of microsatellite markers on sex chromosomes with those derived from autosomes.     

福建畲族群体17个Y-STR基因座单倍型及遗传关系

应用Y-filerTM试剂盒及基因分型技术,检测152份福建畲族无关男性个体17个Y-STR基因座的多态性分布,计算等位基因频率及单倍型多样性,并结合已公开发表的其他11个群体相应基因座的单倍型资料,分析福建畲族群体遗传距离和聚类关系。福建畲族DYS385a/b基因座检出50种单倍型,其余15个Y-STR基因座分别检出3-11个等位基因,基因多样性GD值在0.4037(DYS391)～0.9725(DYS385a/b);观察到DYS19和DYS390基因座双等位基因和DYS385a/b基因座三等位基因,以及DYS448等部分基因座出现的"off-ladder"等位基因现象。17个Y-STR基因座共同构成的单倍型144种,其中138种单倍型出现1次,5种出现2次,1种出现4次,累计GD值为0.9990。从遗传距离分析发现,福建畲族与浙江汉族之间的遗传距离最近(0.0042),与青海藏族(0.2378)之间的遗传距离相对较远。福建畲族最靠近由台湾群体、浙江汉族、南方汉族等典型南方汉族群体聚成的分支区域。结果表明该17个Y-STR基因座在福建畲族群体中具有丰富的遗传多态性,对建立Y染色体STR数据库,研究群体遗传学和进行法医学应用有重要意义。     

Y chromosome lineages in men of west African descent

The early African experience in the Americas is marked by the transatlantic slave trade from ～1619 to 1850 and the rise of the plantation system. The origins of enslaved Africans were largely dependent on European preferences as well as the availability of potential laborers within Africa. Rice production was a key industry of many colonial South Carolina low country plantations. Accordingly, rice plantations owners within South Carolina often requested enslaved Africans from the so-called "Grain Coast" of western Africa (Senegal to Sierra Leone). Studies on the African origins of the enslaved within other regions of the Americas have been limited. To address the issue of origins of people of African descent within the Americas and understand more about the genetic heterogeneity present within Africa and the African Diaspora, we typed Y chromosome specific markers in 1,319 men consisting of 508 west and central Africans (from 12 populations), 188 Caribbeans (from 2 islands), 532 African Americans (AAs from Washington, DC and Columbia, SC), and 91 European Americans. Principal component and admixture analyses provide support for significant Grain Coast ancestry among African American men in South Carolina. AA men from DC and the Caribbean showed a closer affinity to populations from the Bight of Biafra. Furthermore, 30-40% of the paternal lineages in African descent populations in the Americas are of European ancestry. Diverse west African ancestries and sex-biased gene flow from EAs has contributed greatly to the genetic heterogeneity of African populations throughout the Americas and has significant implications for gene mapping efforts in these populations.     

Taiwanese aborigines: genetic heterogeneity and paternal contribution to Oceania

In the present study, for the first time, 293 Taiwanese aboriginal males from all nine major tribes (Ami, Atayal, Bunun, Rukai, Paiwan, Saisat, Puyuma, Tsou, Yami) were genotyped with 17 YSTR loci in a attend to reveal migrational patterns connected with the Austronesian expansion. We investigate the paternal genetic relationships of these Taiwanese aborigines to 42 Asia-Pacific reference populations, geographically selected to reflect various locations within the Austronesian domain. The Tsou and Puyuma tribes exhibit the lowest (0.1851) and the highest (0.5453) average total genetic diversity, respectively. Further, the fraction of unique haplotypes is also relatively high in the Puyuma (86.7%) and low in Tsou (33.3%) suggesting different demographic histories. Multidimensional scaling (MDS) and analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) revealed several notable findings: 1) the Taiwan indigenous populations are highly diverse. In fact, the level of inter-population heterogeneity displayed by the Taiwanese aboriginal populations is close to that exhibited among all 51 Asia-Pacific populations examined; 2) the asymmetrical contribution of the Taiwanese aborigines to the Oceanic groups. Ami, Bunun and Saisiyat tribes exhibit the strongest paternal links to the Solomon and Polynesian island communities, whereas most of the remaining Taiwanese aboriginal groups are more genetically distant to these Oceanic inhabitants; 3) the present YSTR analyses does not reveal a strong paternal affinity of the nine Taiwanese tribes to their continental Asian neighbors. Overall, our current findings suggest that, perhaps, only a few of the tribes were involved in the migration out of Taiwan.     

Haplotype diversity of 17 Y-str loci in an admixed population from the Brazilian Amazon

The allelic and haplotype frequencies of 17 Y-STR loci most commonly used in forensic testing were estimated in a sample of 138 unrelated healthy males from Macapá, in the northern Amazon region of Brazil. The average gene diversity was 0.6554 ± 0.3315. 134 haplotypes of the 17 loci were observed, 130 of them unique and four present in two individuals each. The haplotype diversity index was 0.9996 + 0.0009, with the most frequent haplogroups being R1b (52.2%), E1b1b (11.6%), J2 (10.1%) and Q (7.2%). Most haplogroups of this population belonged to European male lineages (89.2%), followed by Amerindian (7.2%) and African (3.6%) lineages.