The gene pool of Belgorod oblast population: the distribution of immunological and biochemical gene markers

The frequencies of 33 alleles of 12 loci of immunological and biochemical gene markers (ABO, RH, HP, GC, TF, PI, C'3, ACP1, GLO1, PGM1, ESD, and 6-PGD) have been estimated in the indigenous Russian and Ukrainian populations of Belgorod oblast. Differences of the Belgorod population from other populations of Russia with respect to the genetic structure have been determined. It has been found that the frequency distributions of all alleles studied in the Belgorod population are similar to those typical of the genetic structure of Caucasoid populations.     

The gene pool of Belgorod oblast population: study of biochemical gene markers in populations of Ukraine and Belarus and the position of the Belgorod population in the Eastern Slavic gene pool system

The characteristics of the gene pools of indigenous populations of Ukraine and Belarus have been studied using 28 alleles of 10 loci of biochemical gene markers (HP, GC, TF, PI, C'3, ACP1, GLO1, PGM1, ESD, and 6-PGD). The gene pools of the Russian and Ukrainian indigenous populations of Belgorod oblast (Russia) and the indigenous populations of Ukraine and Belarus have been compared. Cluster analysis, multidimensional scaling, and factor analysis of the obtained data have been used to determine the position of the Belgorod population gene pool in the Eastern Slavic gene pool system.     

The gene pool of Belgorod oblast population: Study of biochemical gene markers in populations of Ukraine and Belarus and the position of the Belgorod population in the Eastern Slavic gene pool system

The characteristics of the gene pools of indigenous populations of Ukraine and Belarus have been studied using 28 alleles of 10 loci of biochemical gene markers (HP, GC, TF, PI, C′3, ACP1, GLO1, PGM1, ESD, and 6-PGD). The gene pools of the Russian and Ukrainian indigenous populations of Belgorod oblast (Russia) and the indigenous populations of Ukraine and Belarus have been compared. Cluster analysis, multidimensional scaling, and factor analysis of the obtained data have been used to determine the position of the Belgorod population gene pool in the Eastern Slavic gene pool system.     

The gene pool of the Belgorod oblast population: Changes in population genetic relationships during the past 50 years

The model of the Belgorod oblast population has been used to demonstrate different effects of administrative reforms on microevolution in human populations. For the populations that formerly belonged to Kursk oblast, changes in the regional administrative structure (after which some of them remained in Kursk oblast and others were included into Belgorod oblast) have lead to an increase in the genetic distances between them. However, other populations (formerly belonging to Voronezh oblast) have become genetically closer to one another, although these populations now belong to different administrative regions (Belgorod and Voronezh oblasts).     

The gene pool of the Belgorod oblast population: changes in the endogamy indices of district populations with time

Changes in the endogamy indices of district populations of the Central Chernozem region of Russia during the past 100 years were studied. The size of an elementary population in this region increased from that of a rural municipality in the mid-20th century to that of an administrative district in the late 20th century.     

The gene pool of the Belgorod oblast population: I. Differentiation of all district populations based on anthroponymic data

The gene pool of the entire population of all the 21 raions (districts) of the Belgorod oblast (region) has been studied using anthroponymic data. Considerable geographic variations of the number of surnames and the degree of population subdivision (0.00003 < f _r ^* < 0.00125) in the 21 districts have been demonstrated. Districts with low population subdivision levels are mainly located in the central and southwestern raions of the Belgorod oblast, contain an urbanized area (city), and border on Ukraine (they are characterized by a considerable Ukrainian immigration). Urbanization significantly affects the population structure of the Belgorod oblast. In urbanized districts, rural populations lack the relationships between the population size, number of surnames, and population subdivision level (f _r).     

Genetics of Caucasian population: distribution of various immunological and biochemical markers in western Georgia

The distribution of genetic markers of blood groups (ABO, Rhesus, MNSs, P, Duffy, Kell-Cellano), plasma proteins (Hp, Gc, Tf, C'3) and red-cell enzymes (AcP, EstD, GLO-1), and also ABH secretion among 10 populations of Western Georgia has been studied. The common characteristic of distribution of gene frequencies for the markers studied was obtained as a whole in Georgia. The Georgians were compared for these markers with some populations of the Caucasus, Europe and West Asia. Among Caucasian populations, Georgians are most similar to Abkhasians. According to some systems, Georgians are close to European groups (ABO, Dubby, GLO-1, EstD), while they are similar to West-Asian groups, as judged by other systems (ABH secretion, AcP). According to Rhesus and MNSs systems, Georgians differ both from populations of Europe and from populations of West Asia.     

The population gene pool of Yakutia: cartographic analysis based on the polymorphism of immune and biochemical markers

The gene pool of the indigenous population of Sakha Republic (Yakutia) has been studied within the borders of this republic coinciding with the main area of Yakuts, which was formed by the end of the 19th century and have remained stable until the present time. Maps of the geographic variation of the integrated characteristics of the Yakut gene pool, including the principal components, parameters of genetic diversity, and genetic distances from the "average" Yakut population are presented. It has been demonstrated that ethnographers' reports on intense internal assimilation in modem Yakutia agree with genetic data. The stratification of the Yakut gene pool reflected in the maps of two principal components corresponds to the observed general (H(T)) and interpopulation (FST) gene diversities.     

The Dagestan gene pool: Polymorphism of immunogenetic and biochemical markers in Kumyks

This study is a part of long-term investigations devoted to the analysis of the gene pool of Dagestan ethnic groups. The phenotype (in %), gene, and haplotype frequencies in Kumyk ethnic group are reported. A total of 39 alleles and six haplotypes of 14 loci (AB0, Rhesus, P, Levis, Kell, HP, GC, C’3, TF, 6PGD, GLO1, ESD, ACP, and PGM1) of immunobiochemical genetic marker systems were examined. Rare haplotypes of the Rhesus system were identified, including CDE in the Karabudakhkent population with the frequency of 0.030, and Cde and cdE in the Dorgeli population with the frequencies of 0.034 and 0.38, respectively. Similarly to the other ethnic populations of Dagestan examined, Kukyk populations carried rare, albeit typically “Caucasoid” gene ACP1 ^c of the AcP1 locus. The frequency of this allele in the two populations was similar, constituting 0.031 for Karabudakhkent and 0.032 for Dorgeli. In Kumyks, allele frequencies of the AB0, Rhesus, P, Lewis, Kell, HP, GC, C′3, TF, 6PGD, GLO1, ESD, ACP, but not PGM1, systems were similar to the mean allele frequencies at these loci observed in the other ethnic groups from the Dagestan, Caucasus, and the whole European historical ethnographic province. At the same time, the allele frequency values obtained were different from those for the populations of Kazakhstan, Central Asia, Siberia, and the Ruswsian Far East. Thus, the results obtained for classical genetic markers indicate that Kumyks are genetically closer to the indigenous populations of Dagestan than to Turkic-speaking populations. Analysis of the fit of the observed phenotype frequencies to the Hardy-Weinberg expectations showed that compared to other indigenous populations of Dagestan examined, in Kumyks the genetic state of the population upon random allele association was close to equilibrium. Probably, this state was determined by practical absence of the consanguineous marriages upon preservation of intra-aul endogamy.     

The gene pool of the Belgorod region population: I. Differentiation of all district populations based on anthroponymic data

The gene pool of the entire population of all the 21 raions (districts) of the Belgorod oblast (region) has been studied using anthroponymic data. Considerable geographic variations of the number of surnames and the degree of population subdivision (0.00003 < f(r)* < 0.00125) in the 21 districts have been demonstrated. Districts with low population subdivision levels are mainly located in the central and southwestern raions of the Belgorod oblast, contain an urbanized area (city), and border on Ukraine (they are characterized by a considerable Ukrainian immigration). Urbanization significantly affects the population structure of the Belgorod oblast. In urbanized districts, rural populations lack the relationships between the population size, number of surnames, and population subdivision level (f(r)).     

The gene pool of the Belgorod oblast population: II. "Family name portraits" in groups of districts with different degrees of subdivision and the role of migrations in their formation

The frequencies and spectra of surnames have been analyzed in groups of raions (districts) of the Belgorod oblast (region) with different degrees of population subdivision. The "family name portraits" of districts with low (0.00003 less sign f* < 0.00022, f*(r) = 0.00015) and moderate (0.00023 < f*(r) < 0.00042, f*(r) = 0.00029) inbreeding levels are similar both to each other and to the "family name portrait" of the Belgorod oblast as a whole. Districts with high subdivision levels (0.00043 < f*(r) < 0.00125, f*(r) = 0.00072) had very distinctive surname spectra and the highest surname frequencies. Intense immigration to the Belgorod oblast significantly affects its population genetic structure, decreasing the population subdivision.     

The gene pool of the belgorod oblast population: Changes in the endogamy indices of district populations with time

Changes in the endogamy indices of district populations of the Central Chernozem region of Russia during the past 100 years were studied. The size of an elementary population in this region increased from that of a rural municipality in the mid-20th century to that of an administrative district in the late 20th century.     

Genetics of human populations of Caucasus: distribution of various immunological and biochemical markers in eastern Georgia

The distribution of genetic markers of blood groups (AB0, P, Rhesus, MNSs, Duffy, Lewis, Kell-Cellano), of the serum proteins (Hp, Gc, Tf, C'3), red-cell enzymes (AcP, EstD, GLO1) and also ABH-secretion among seven native populations of Eastern Georgia has been studied. The frequencies of genes and haplotypes were calculated for the polymorphic markers and the results obtained were used in analysis of interpopulation variation and genetic relationship of these populations to their geographical neighbours as well as to European and West Asian populations.     

The Russian gene pool. Frequency of genetic markers

Frequency distribution of several genetic markers was studied in ethnic Russians from the Moscow, Bryansk, Ryazan', Kostroma, Novgorod, Arkhangel'sk, and Sverdlovsk oblasts and Udmurtiya. Systems AB0, RH, HP, TF, GC, PI, C'3, ACP1, PGM1, ESD, GLO1, 6PGD, and AK were analyzed in most samples. New data on informative polymorphic genetic loci showed that the Russian gene pool mostly displays Caucasoid features. In addition, Y-chromosomal short tandem repeats (STRs) DYS19, DYS390, and YCAII were analyzed in the Russian samples. STRs of the chromosome are particularly valuable for elucidating ethnogenetic processes in Eastern Europe. Frequency distributions of the Y-chromosomal markers in Russians were intermediate between those of West European populations and eastern Finno-Ugric ethnoses of the Volga region. A marked longitudinal gradient was revealed for frequencies of several molecular markers.     

Genetics of the native inhabitants of the Caucasus: distribution of various immunological and biochemical markers in North Osetiia and Checheno-Ingushety

The distribution of genetic markers of blood groups (AB0, Rhesus, MNSs, P, Duffy, Kell-Cellano), plasma proteins (Hp, Gc, C'3, Tf) and red-cell enzymes (Glo-1, AcP, EstD, 6-PGD, PGM1) as well as ABH-secretion has been studied among 6 native populations of North Osetia and Checheno-Ingushety. Distribution of gene frequencies in populations of North-Osetians, Chechenians, Ingushians and other Caucasian ethnic groups was comparatively studied.     

Genogeographic analysis of subdivided population. The Adyge gene pool in the Caucasian gene pool system]

A gene geographic analysis of the indigenous population of the Caucasian historical cultural province was carried out with a set of genetic markers extensively studied in the Adyges (39 alleles of 18 loci): AB0, ACP, C3, FY, GC, GLO, HP, KEL, LEW, MN, MNS, P, PGD, PGM1, RH-C, RH-D, RH-E, and TF. Genetic information on 160 Caucasian populations was used (on average, 65 populations per locus). A synthetic map of the first principal component clearly showed a division into two gene geographic provinces: Northern Caucasus and Transcaucasia. The component significantly differed across the Greater Caucasian Ridge. One of the major regions of extreme values corresponded to the Adyge region. A map of the second component revealed two poles, Northwestern (the Adyges) and Caspian, in gene pool variation of the Caucasian population. The analysis of the maps and the space of principal components showed that the Adyge population is an important component of the Caucasian gene pool. A map of genetic distance from all Caucasian populations to the Adyges showed that the north Caucasian populations (excluding the Ossetes) are the most genetically similar to the Adyges, while Georgians from the Kolkhida Valley and Azerbaijanians from the lowlands near the Caspian Sea and highland steppes are the most genetically remote from the Adyges. The genetic diversity (GST x 10(2)) of the entire Caucasian gene pool was studied. The average diversity of subpopulation within a Caucasian ethnos was GS-E = 0.81, the diversity of ethnoses within a linguistic family was GE-L = 0.83, and the diversity of linguistic families was GL-T = 0.58. The race classification of the Caucasian populations (GS-E = 0.81, GS-R = 0.80, GR-T = 0.76) proved to be more genetically informative than the linguistic one. The major parameters of the Adyges (total diversity HT = 0.364, heterozygosity HS = 0.361, and subpopulation diversity within the ethnos GS-E = 0.69) were similar to those averaged over the entire Caucasian population. A comparison with the same set of genetic markers showed that the interethnic diversity in the Caucasian region was lower than in the other north Eurasian regions (GS-E was 1.24 in the European region, 1.42 in the Ural region, 1.27 in Middle Asia, and 3.85 in Siberia).     

Barrai’s parameters for the Kirov oblast population and their geographic distribution

The distribution of surnames in for populations of the district rank in Kirov oblast has been used to calculate Barrai’s parameters, which are the following: I _r, 0.0008–0.0208; H, 6.80-211.57; ν, 0.003–0.058; α, 47.35–1191.39; R, 23.03–50.07. The results have been compared with data on the 1980s; no substantial changes in the studied parameters during a generation have been found.     

Medical genetic study of the Rostov oblast population: Analysis of surname distribution in seven districts

Data on the surname frequency distribution in seven raions (districts) of the Rostov oblast (region) have been used to calculate random inbreeding varying from 0.000064 to 0.000186 in the Volgodonsk and Millerovo districts, respectively. Schematic surname landscapes have been constructed for six districts. The observed spectrum of frequent surnames is compared with that of the complete register of surnames in Russia.     

The marriage migration characteristics of the Rostov oblast population

Marriage records have been used to study the marriage migration structure of five raions of the Rostov oblast. The mean ethnic marriage assortativeness in the Russian and Ukrainian rural populations are 1.16 and 1.6, respectively. The endogamy index of the urban population varies from 0.19 to 0.34; and that of the rural population, from 0.21 to 0.54. Malecot's isolation by distance parameters have been calculated. Genetic landscapes have been constructed.