Some blood genetic characteristics of several Sudanese tribes

The distribution of ABO and Rhesus blood groups, serum haptoglobin, and transferrin; red cell glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and acid phosphatase; and hemoglobin was studied among the two aboriginal negroid tribes (Nuba and Fur); the Nilotic tribe; five tribes of Arab ancestory; and a mixed group of other minor tribes of Arab origin. The Nilotic and Nuba tribes were genetically quite distinct from the rest, with lower R1, R2, and r in the Rhesus system and low HbS and Gd-. The Arab tribes had a genetic structure which was intermediate between that of the original negroid population of the Sudan and the Arabs to the north. However, some of the Arab tribes had special genetical characteristics, e.g., Messeria had high TfD1; both Messeria and Hawazma had high HbS and Gd-, while GdA was higher only in the Hawazma. The Gaalin had very low HbS, Ro, GdA, and Gd-, suggestive of less negroid admixture compared to Messeria and Hawazma. The Fur, though an aboriginal negroid tribe, had genetic characteristics similar to Arabs.     

Genetic heterogeneity among the Negroid and Arab tribes of the Sudan

Genetic distance analysis was carried out among seven tribes of the Sudan comprising three Negroid (Nuba, Fur, and Nilotes) and four Arab tribes (Beja, Gaalin, Hawazma, and Messeria) on the basis of six polymorphic loci (ABO and Rhesus blood groups; haemoglobin and red cell glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase; serum haptoglobin and transferrin polymorphisms) controlling 21 alleles and compared with the Arab and Negroid populations in neighbouring countries. The Nuba and Nilotes have been found to have Negroid genetic characteristics, while the Fur are intermediate between the Arabs and Negroids. The Beja and Gaalin tribes have more pronounced Arab genetic characteristics than the Hawazma and Messeria, who have a great deal of Negroid admixture.     

A study of some genetic characteristics of the Fur and Baggara tribes of the Sudan

The average inbreeding coefficients of the highly consanguineous Fur and Baggara tribes of Western Sudan were 0.04167 and 0.04450, respectively. Two hundred ninety-eight subjects from the two tribes were tested for polymorphism of hemoglobins, seven red cell enzymes, and four serum proteins. The Baggara showed a higher gene frequency of HbS and TfD and lower gene frequency of GdA and PC compared to the Fur. Both tribes showed a low gene frequency of PGM1 and high frequency of G6PD deficiency when compared to other Sudanese tribes. In spite of the high degree of inbreeding, no significant deviation from the Hardy-Weinburg equilibrium was observed in either tribe. The effects of inbreeding seem to be offset by mixing between the two tribes on Gabal Marra Plateau. The flow of the sickle gene from the Baggara into the Fur and other Sudanese tribes is discussed.     

Genetic studies among the sedentes and migrant Oraons of eastern India

A total of 334 Oraons of both sexes from two localities in eastern India were tested for 11 polymorphic and six monomorphic blood genetic markers. The sample comprised 130 sedentes from the Gumla district in Bihar and 204 migrants to the Jalpaiguri district of North Bengal. At the hemoglobin locus one example of HbAS was observed in the Gumla sample, while two cases of HbAS were found in the Jalpaiguri group. The Oraons are a distinct tribe and are characterized by a very low frequency of Hp1, TFC2, and a high frequency of TfD1 and GcIF at the serum protein loci. In the red cell enzyme systems the Oraons have a higher frequency of pa at the acid phosphatase locus and GLO1 at the Glyoxalase I locus. Absence of red cell lactate dehydrogenase and very low HbS and GdB- is also characteristic of the Oraons. A probable new nondeficient slow variant of Gd has been observed in polymorphic frequency in the Oraons of Gumla. There was an excess of homozygotes at the Gc locus. No significant difference in the gene frequency between the two groups of Oraons was observed at any of the loci. Genetic distance estimates using the gene frequency data indicate that the Oraons of the two localities are genetically homogeneous and form one cluster with the Bhils. They are nearer to the Irula and Kurumba tribes of the Nilgiris rather than the other Dravidian tribes, Tamils, or Nayars.     

Plasma cholinesterase studies on south-eastern Bantu of Mozambique.

Blood samples from four Bantu tribes in South-East Mozambique have been phenotyped for the plasma cholinesterase variants of the E1 locus. A control roup of 153 Portuguese residents in Mozambique have also been phenotyped. The frequencies of both the E1a and E1f genes in the Portuguese population is very similar to those in other Caucasian populations. The absence of the E1a gene in the four Bantu tribes provides more evidence of the rarity of this gene in Negroid populations. There is an increased frequency of E1f gene in all tribes as compared with previous surveys. The Ronga and Bitonga tribes have similar E1f frequencies of 0.047 and 0.048, respectively. The Shangana has an E1f frequency of 0.060, and the corresponding figure for the Chopi tribe is 0.089. The latter is the highest recorded frequency for this gene. The results give some support to the doubts concerning the affiliation of the Chopi tribe.     

Genetic heterogeneity and population structure of Gond-related tribes in the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra.

Genetic heterogeneity in nine polymorphic loci is observed among Gond-related tribes in the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra. Pardhans, with their high ABO*A2 gene frequency (4.01%), low m gene frequency (57%), high P*1 gene frequency (42.7%), and high HbS trait (31.58%), differ significantly from other tribes. Per locus average heterozygosity among the studied tribes ranged from 36.24% to 40.37%, with Pardhans being more heterozygous. Analysis by FST and the empirical relationship between average allele frequencies and the ratio of within-gene to total gene diversity show that the tribes are isolated and that differentiation among them is at an early stage and approximately in conformity with expected differentiation under genetic drift. However, distances and principal components analysis reveal that Pardhans are far removed from the other tribes and from other central Dravidian tribes. Furthermore, of the various demographic parameters estimated, the high average heterozygosity in Pardhans is significantly correlated with mean marital distance (MMD), regression of MMD on wife's age, and effective population size. There is congruence between genetic and demographic data, showing that Pardhans are distinct. This conforms with Haimendorf's (1979) contention based on cultural traits that Pardhans are Gonds by historical accident and are later migrants to the Gond area from the north. The most significant and practical observation of the present study is that migration from an originally nontribal (Pardhan) to a tribal (Gond) area and admixture lead to severe disease course, differential selection pressure, and hence highly elevated HbS trait frequency.     

Nonmetric tooth crown traits in the Ami tribe, Taiwan aborigines: comparisons with other east Asian populations.

The frequencies of occurrence of 17 tooth crown traits in the living Ami tribe, which inhabits the east coast of Taiwan, were investigated and compared with other East Asian populations based on Turner's (1987) Mongoloid dental variation theory. Principal coordinate analysis based on Smith's mean measure of divergence using frequencies of the 17 traits suggests that the Ami tribe together with the Yami tribe and the Bunun tribe is included in the sinodont group typical of the Chinese mainland and northeast Asia. In light of these results and the estimated distribution of sinodonty and sundadonty in the past and the present, we speculate that the gene flow from Chinese mainlanders to native sundadonts, who seem to have migrated northward to Taiwan, contributed significantly to the formation of the living Taiwan aboriginal groups, sinodonts. Among the aboriginal tribes of Taiwan, the Ami have characteristics intermediate between those of the Yami and the Bunun. The relative positions of these tribes in East Asian populations suggests that the extent of sinodontification and of genetic isolation is one of the causes of the intertribal variation.     

Sickle cell disease among tribes of Andhra Pradesh and Orissa,India

Sickle cell disease is observed to occur in significantly high frequencies amongst the tribes of India. It has surged to the fore as an important public health problem among tribal groups, which needs serious attention. This paper presents the distribution of this abnormal genetic problem among scheduled tribes of India, in general and among those of Andhra Pradesh and Orissa states, in detail. Though the prevalence of sickle cell trait is high, the sickle cell disease cases are found to be very low, since all these surveys are made among adults. Most of the sickle cell disease cases might have expired during their early states. Hence, it is attempted to estimate the expected frequencies of disease cases from HbS gene frequencies. Estimations were also made by considering higher levels of inbreeding among these populations.     

Some blood genetic markers of selected tribes in Western Saudi Arabia

A total of 292 randomly selected subjects belonging to two indigenous Arab tribes (Harbi and Ghamid) and two immigrant tribes (Mograbi and Mowallad), residents in Western Saudi Arabia, have been tested for genetic variants of six blood groups, four serum proteins, and five red cell enzyme systems. The distribution of the polymorphic systems was different between indigenous and immigrant tribes, and the present Arab population shows a considerable degree of admixture from the surrounding countries, in particular Africa.     

Genetic variants of serum butyrylcholinesterase in Chilean Mapuche Indians

We estimated the frequencies of serum butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) alleles in three tribes of Mapuche Indians from southern Chile, using enzymatic methods, and we estimated the frequency of allele BCHE*K in one tribe using primer reduced restriction analysis (PCR-PIRA). The three tribes have different degrees of European admixture, which is reflected in the observed frequencies of the atypical allele BCHE*A: 1.11% in Huilliches, 0.89% in Cuncos, and 0% in Pehuenches. This result is evidence in favor of the hypothesis that BCHE*A is absent in native Amerindians. The frequencies of BCHE*F were higher than in most reported studies (3.89%, 5.78%, and 4.41%, respectively). These results are probably due to an overestimation of the frequency of allele BCHE*F, since none of the 20 BCHE UF individuals (by the enzymatic test) individuals analyzed showed either of the two DNA base substitutions associated with this allele. Although enzymatic methods rarely detect the presence of allele BCHE*K, PCR-PIRA found the allele in an appreciable frequency (5.76%), although lower than that found in other ethnic groups. Since observed frequencies of unusual alleles correspond to estimated percentages of European admixture, it is likely that none of these unusual alleles were present in Mapuche Indians before the arrival of Europeans.     

Genetic studies of the Macushi and Wapishana Indians

Summary Blood samples from 509 Macushi (3 villages) and 623 Wapishana (11 villages) of Northern Brasil and Southern Guyana have been analyzed with respect to the phenotype and gene frequencies at the following 12 polymorphic loci: AB0, Kell-Cellano, MNSs, Rh, P, Duffy, Kidd, Diego, Lewis, Group-specific component, and the immunoglobulin allotypes of the Gm and Inv systems. The data suggest that 5–6% of the Wapishana gene pool is derived from non-Indians but only 1–2% of the Macushi. Inter- and intratribal genetic distances between villages are calculated for these data in an effort to understand gene flow between the tribes and to account for the unusual distribution of a newly-discovered genetic polymorphism of erythrocyte esterase A thus far limited to these 2 tribes (Neel et al., 1977). The data are puzzling and consistent with the possibility that both the Craib-speaking Macushi and the Arawak-speaking Wapishana have derived the esterase A allele in question from some third group now extinct or thus far undiscovered. Intertribal genetic distances based on gene frequencies at 6 loci are derived for 20 Amerindian tribes (including these 2); the central position of these 2 tribes can in part be explained by the active migration matrix connecting them.     

Microsatellite diversity reveals the interplay of language and geography in shaping genetic differentiation of diverse Proto-Australoid populations of west-central India

Microsatellite diversity was analyzed in four Proto-Australoid tribes, including Indo-European (Marathi)-speaking Katkari, Pawara, Mahadeo-Koli, and Dravidian (Gondi)-speaking groups of Maharashtra, west-central India, to understand their genetic structure and to identify the congruence between language and gene pool. Allele frequency data at 15 short tandem repeat (STR) loci in studied tribes was compared with data of 22 Indo-European- and Dravidian-speaking caste and tribal populations using heterozygosity, allele size variance, analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA), G(ST) estimate, PC plot, and Mantel correlation test. Our results demonstrate that "Gondi" tribes comprising the Madia-Gond, a hunter-gatherer population, and the agriculturist Dheria-Gond harbor lower diversity than "Marathi" tribal groups, which are culturally and genetically distinct. Katkari, a hunter-gatherer tribe, showed greater diversity and the presence of a large number of unique alleles, genetically distinct from all others except the Pawara, supporting their old cultural links. The agriculturist Pawara tribe represents a splinter subgroup of the Bhil tribe and has experienced gene flow. The Mahadeo-Koli, an agriculturally oriented tribe, displayed significant heterozygote deficiency, attributable to the practice of high endogamy. The Proto-Australoid tribal populations were genetically differentiated from castes of similar morphology, suggesting different evolutionary mechanisms operating upon the populations. The populations showed genetic and linguistic similarity, barring a few groups with varied migratory histories. The microsatellite variation clearly demonstrates the interplay of sociocultural factors including linguistic, geographical contiguity, and microevolutionary processes in shaping the genetic diversity of populations in contemporary India. This study supports the ethno-historical relationships of Indian populations.     

The origin of HbS in Sicily: A toponymic study

The population structure of two alleles similarly affected by selection, HbS and Beta-thalassemia, was studied in the same area, in Sicily. It was observed that Beta-thalassemia has uniform frequencies over the island, and that HbS shows a South-North cline. A singularity exists for HbS, in the twon of Butera, where the frequency of the S gene is six times higher than the island average. It was advanced that probably HbS entered Sicily from North Africa, when the Beta-thalassemia allele was already established in the Island. From the correlation analysis concluded that HbS came to Sicily with the frequency of HbS, it was concluded that HbS came to Sicily before the Arab invasions of the 700 's AD.     

Population structure of Sicily: beta-thalassemia and HbS

Summary The population structure of two alleles with similar characteristics, HbS and beta-thalassemia, was studied in the same area in Sicily. It was observed that beta-thalassemia has uniform frequencies over the island, and that HbS shows a South-North cline. A singularity exists for HbS in the town of Butera, where the frequency of the S gene is six times higher than the island average. It was suggested that HbS entered Sicily from Greece (or directly from North Africa) when the beta-thalassemia allele was already established in the Island.     

Hierarchical gene diversity and genetic structure of tribal populations of Andhra Pradesh,India

Gene diversity and genetic structure of tribal populations of Andhra Pradesh, India, have been analyzed under a hierarchical model consisting of five regions of the state, tribes within the regions, and local subpopulations within the tribes. Average gene diversity has been estimated from gene frequency data for 15 polymorphic loci by using nested gene diversity analysis of G_ST. The intralocation coefficient of gene diversity was estimated at 96% of the total, whereas the intertribal, within—and between—regional gene diversities were found to be only 1.90, 0.95, and 1.43%, respectively. The estimate of gene diversity was higher for loci with higher degrees of polymorphism such as ABO, MN, ESD, and PTC and lower for loci with low-level polymorphism and extreme gene frequencies such as Hb, Tf, PHI, 6PGD, and Hp. The nature of selective preference or neutrality at the loci seems to be important in this respect. Tribes of the plains exhibit the least gene diversity, apparently because of higher gene flow among them. The contribution of loci with intermediate gene frequencies in intertribal and regional gene diversity was found to be higher than for loci with extreme allelic frequencies. These results suggest that the most significant component of variation is between individuals within locations and that variation between local subpopulations is negligible in the genetic structure of a population. Forces like selection, gene flow and drift also influence the diversity depending upon the nature of the locus. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

The denied land rights of the indigenous peoples and their endangered livelihood and survival: the case of the Nuba of the Sudan

The current situation of indigenous peoples in the Sudan is the result of the independent state's adoption of land and other policies identical to those introduced by colonialists more than a century ago. The Sudanese state has not only unwittingly maintained some colonial coercive institutions and policies but it has introduced more aggressive ones and brutally deployed them against its indigenous peoples, particularly the Nuba. In the light of this, this paper attempts to demonstrate analytically how some historical and contemporary socio-political dynamics have continued systematically to deprive these indigenous Nuba peoples of their customary land, and to assess to what extent the recently concluded Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) has been successful in addressing the land question as one of the root causes of the recurring civil wars in the Sudan in general and in the Nuba Mountains in particular.     

The distribution and interaction of haemoglobin variants and the β thalassaemia gene in Liberia

In a population survey in Liberia, West Africa, 12 major tribes were examined for the prevalence of Hb S, Hb C, and the beta thalassaemia (beta Thal) gene. Hb C is rare; Hb S and beta Thal occur in polymorphic frequencies. The distribution of both genes shows an inverse correlation. The beta Thal trait was diagnosed by quantitation of Hb A2 on DE 52-microchromatography. This method proved to be reliable and useful for mass screening.     

Interrelationships between Amerindian tribes of lower Amazonia as manifest by HLA haplotype disequilibria

HLA B-C haplotypes exhibit common disequilibria in populations drawn from four continents, indicating that they are subject to broadly active selective forces. However, the A-B and A-C associations we have examined show no consistent disequilibrium pattern, leaving open the possibility that these disequilibria are due to descent from common progenitors. By examining HLA haplotype distributions, I have explored the implications that would follow from the hypothesis that biological selection played no role in determining A-C disequilibria in 10 diverse tribes of the lower Amazon Basin. Certain haplotypes are in strong positive disequilibria across a broad geographic area, suggesting that members of diverse tribes descend from common ancestors. On the basis of the extent of diffusion of the components of these haplotypes, one can estimate that the progenitors lived less than 6,000 years ago. One widely encountered lineage entered the area within the last 1,200 years. When haplotype frequencies are used in genetic distance measurements, they give a pattern of relationships very similar to that obtained by conventional chord measurements based on several genetic markers; but more than that, when individual haplotype disequilibria in the several tribes are compared, multiple origins of a single tribe are discernible and relationships are revealed that correlate more closely to geographic and linguistic patterns than do the genetic distance measurements.     

Blood groups and ABH saliva secretion in Koya Dora and Konda Kammara tribes of Andhra Pradesh

The present paper reports the distribution of blood groups and ABH saliva secretion in two Andhra tribal populations: the Koya Dora and the Konda Kammara. 100 Koya Dora and nearly 110 Konda Kammara adults of both sexes were tested for A1A2BO, MN, Rh (CcDEe) blood groups and ABH saliva secretion. The gene frequencies for A1A2BO, MN and ABH and the gene as well as chromosome frequencies for Rh (CcDEe) systems were calculated. Koya Doras show a higher incidence of A gene than B gene, while the reverse trend is seen in Konda Kammaras. Both the tribes show a high M gene frequency. No Rh(D) negative individual was found in Koya Doras, while 4.59% of Konda Kammaras are Rh(D) negative. The chromosomes CDE, CdE, cDe, cdE, Cde and cde are absent in Koya Doras, while only the four chromosomes CDE, CdE, cDe and cdE are absent in Konda Kammaras. The chromosome CDe shows the highest frequency in both the tribes. The frequency of secretors is, as usual, higher than that of nonsecretors in both the tribes. The intergroup variation between the two tribes is not statistically significant for MN, Rh (CcDEe) and ABH systems, while the difference is significant for the A1A2BO blood groups. Suitable comparisons have also been made with all the other available data from Andhra Pradesh tribal populations with respect to different systems studied. Finally Fi estimates have been calculated after Harpending et al. (1973) and Workman et al. (1974) for Koya Doras and Konda Kammaras to assess their degree of endogamy, considering the codominant systems studied, which suggest that Koya Doras are relatively more isolated than Konda Kammaras.     

基于28S rDNA D2基因片段与形态特征的矛茧蜂亚科系统发育研究（膜翅目：茧蜂科）

本研究选取矛茧蜂亚科Doryctinae（昆虫纲Insecta：膜翅目Hymenoptera：茧蜂科Braconidae）的6族15属18种做内群,茧蜂科其它7亚科11属11种做外群,首次结合同源核糖体28S rDNA D2基因序列片段和100个形态学和解剖学特征对该亚科进行了系统发育学研究。利用“非圆口类"的小腹茧蜂亚科Microgastrinae为根,以PAUP*4.0和MrBayes 3.0B4软件分别应用最大简约法（MP）和贝叶斯法对矛茧蜂亚科的分子数据和分子数据与非分子数据的结合体进行了运算分析;并以PAUP*4.0对矛茧蜂亚科的28S rDNA D2基因序列片段的碱基组成与碱基替代情况进行了分析。结果表明：矛茧蜂亚科的28S rDNA D2基因序列片段的GC含量在39.33%～48.28%之间变动,而对于碱基替代情况来讲,矛茧蜂亚科各成员间序列变异位点上颠换（transversion）大于转换（transition）。不同的分析算法所产生的系统发育树都表明矛茧蜂亚科是一个界限分明的单系群;在矛茧蜂亚科内,除了吉丁茧蜂族Siragrini为单系群外,其他族（矛茧蜂族Doryctini和方头茧蜂族Hecabolini）都是并系群。对于矛茧蜂亚科内各属之间的相互亲缘关系,不同算法所得的系统发育树的拓扑结构不完全一致,表明矛茧蜂亚科内（属及族）的系统发育关系还有待于进一步研究。