Comparison of Y-STR polymorphisms in three different Slovak population groups

Eleven Y-chromosomal microsatellite loci included in the Powerplex Y multiplex kit were analyzed in different Slovak population samples: Habans (n = 39), Romanies (n = 100) and Slovak Caucasian (n = 148) individuals, respectively, from different regions of Slovakia. The analysis of molecular variance between populations indicated that 89.27% of the haplotypic variations were found within populations and only 10.72% between populations (Fst = 0.1027; p = 0.0000). The haplotype diversities were ranging from 0.9258 to 0.9978, and indicated a high potential for differentiating between male individuals. The study reports differences in allele frequencies between the Romanies, Habans and Slovak Caucasian men. Selected loci showed that both the Romany and Haban population belonged to endogamous and relatively small founder population groups, which developed in relatively reproductive isolated groups surrounded by the Slovak Caucasian population.     

Dermatoglyphic analysis of Habans (Hutterites) from Slovakia

Dermatoglyphic traits have been used to assess population structure and affinities of the 91 Habans (Hutterites) and 162 Non-Haban Slovaks. In addition a comparison has been made with other Slovak population samples. Biological distances between individual populations were assessed by means of the Hiernaux distance coefficient. The results show a clear separation of the Habans from the Non-Habans in the same villages as well as from the other Slovak groups. Dermatoglyphic analysis is regarded as noncompatible with the interpretation of the genetic structure.     

Genetic polymorphism and forensic parameters of nine short tandem repeat loci in Ngöbé and Emberá Amerindians of Panama

Nine STR loci (CSF1PO, TPOX, TH01, F13A01, FESFPS, VWA, D16S539, D7S820, and D13S317) were analyzed in unrelated Ng?bé and Emberá Amerindians of Panama. The chi-square test demonstrated statistically significant differences (P < 0.001) in the allele frequencies for all markers except one (D16S539; P < 0.01). Both populations shared their alleles with the highest frequencies in seven loci. However, there were also noticeable differences at the TPOX locus, which showed its highest frequencies at alleles 11 (0.48) and 6 (0.54) for the Ng?é and Emberá, respectively. Interestingly, these alleles are present in one population and are absent in the other, suggesting that they could be distinctive for each population. These results demonstrate that, despite the fact that each population belongs to a different linguistic stock [Chibchan (Ng?bé) and Chocoan (Emberá)], both retain strong similarities in their allele-frequency distributions. Three loci (TPOX, VWA, and F13A01) in the Ng?bé and two loci (TH01 and TPOX) in the Emberá departed from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. The analysis of the STR markers demonstrates that, despite their low levels of genetic polymorphisms, most of them could be informative for forensic purposes, showing a combined power of discrimination of 0.9999 for both Amerindian populations. However, powers of exclusion in the Ng?bé were very low, particularly at the TH01 (0.04) and FESFPS (0.08) loci. The combined powers of exclusion were 0.9338 and 0.9890 for the Ng?bé and the Emberá, respectively. Furthermore, the combined typical paternity index in the Ng?bé was considerably low (2.58), and in the Emberá it was 40.44, which is also very low. The low genetic polymorphism levels suggest that theuse of additional loci supplementing the battery of the nine loci is recommended for paternity and forensic tests in both populations, particularly for the Ng?bé.     

Genomic characterization of Pinzgau cattle: genetic conservation and breeding perspectives

A genome-wide scan of Slovak Pinzgau cattle was prepared for the first time in order to estimate their genetic diversity at a more detailed level compared to previously published studies. The aim of this study was to describe the genetic diversity based on the runs of homozygosity (ROH_s), linkage disequilibrium (LD) and effective population size (N_eLD) using genome-wide data. Moreover, Bayesian clustering algorithms and multivariate methods were used to detect the population structure, potential admixture level and relationship between Austrian and Slovak Pinzgau cattle with respect to a large meta-population consisting of 15 European cattle breeds. The proportion of ROH segments ranged from 0.43 to 1.91% in Slovak Pinzgau, depending on the minimum size of an ROH. The genomic inbreeding coefficients were higher than the pedigree ones possibly due to the limited number of available generations in pedigree data. The observed N_eLD was close to the limit value characterizing the endangerment status, based both on genomic and pedigree data. Population structure within analyzed breeds based on the Wright’s F_ST index, Nei’s genetic distances, and unsupervised as well as supervised analysis has been established. Overall, these analyses clearly distinguished populations based on their origin. A detailed analysis of the introgression of each breed into the Pinzgau breeds prepared using a Bayesian approach showed that the contribution of Holstein cattle in Austrian as well as Slovak Pinzgau was larger than contribution of beef breeds. A possible reason is the recent usage of Holstein sires to increase milk production. There are considerable differences between well-defined regions that clearly distinguish Austrian and Slovak Pinzgau, despite their close common history. Generally, the breeding program of Austrian Pinzgau is more focused on meat production than Slovak Pinzgau, which was clearly reflected in the obtained autozygosity islands. Considering the genetic establishment of Slovak Pinzgau population the genetic potential of the breed is insufficiently used. On a long term, more global breeding program including very close populations will be more efficient providing higher genetic progress and diversity. Established methodology how to distinguish genealogically close populations on high-throughput molecular information based of Slovak and Austrian Pinzgau can be proposed as general for analysis of differences in all highly related breeds.     

广东省汉族人群的亚群分析

为调查广东地区汉族人群中是否存在着亚群结构,对来自广州、佛山、东莞、江门和中山-珠海5个不同地区的471随机个体血样本进行15个STR的基因分型,并作Hardy-Weinberg平衡检验,比较群体之间的等位基因频率,计算这个5个地区人群间的共祖系数。结果显示,广东汉族人群没有明显的Hardy-Weinberg不平衡,5个地区人群的等位基因分布均没有差异,他们之间的共祖系数小于0.01。因此,广东地区汉族人群中没有明显的亚群结构。 Abstract:To investigate the subpopulation structure within the Han Population in Guandong area,a total of 471 DNA samples from five populations in Guandong Province,including Guangzhou,Foshan,Dongguan,Jiangmen and Zhongshan-Zhuhai region,were genotyped at 15 STR(short tandem repeats) markers.Hardy-Weinberg tests were performed,allele frequencies were compared,and the genetic coancestry coefficient(FST ) was estimated.The results did not show significant departure from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium in the total population.Difference of allele frequencies among these populations was not observed,and the coancestry coefficient(FST)was less than 0.01.Subpopulation structure within Han Population in Guandong Province could not be detected.     

9号染色体10个STR基因座的遗传制图

运用小规模实验初步探讨了以中国人群为基础的遗传图绘制工作的必要性。18个无关汉族3代家系共131份血样采自甘肃省白银地区,常规PCR扩增9号染色体的10个STR基因座,采用非变性聚丙烯酰凝胶电泳分析。PCR产物经克隆测序确定核心序列重复次数,采用标准命名法命名各等位基因,用POPGENE软件包计算各基因座等位基因频率,并进行Hardy-Weiberg平衡检验,用Linkage软件包进行各基因座之间连锁关系分析。根据连锁分析结果绘制了中国人群由10个STR基因座构成的9号染色体遗传图。基于中国人群体的9号染色体10个STR连分析锁分析结果与GDB检索结果之间存在较显著的差异,这种差异同时表现在个别基因座之间和0号染色体遗传图总长度上。男、女遗传结果之间在较显著的差异,这种差异同时表现在个别基因之间和9号染色体总长度上。男、女遗传图总长度为129．21cM和178．4cM,均大高加索入。说明了在运用GDB数据之前,有必要根据实验群体进行基因座的初步评估,并且有必要对基于中国人群体的遗传图进行进一步的研究。     

Short tandem repeat polymorphism of the D2S1242 locus in a Japanese population

Allele frequencies and sequence characteristics of the D2S1242 short tandem repeat (STR) locus were studied in a Japanese population sample. A total of 10 D2S1242 alleles and 34 genotypes were identified in 273 unrelated Japanese individuals. The five most common alleles detected had frequencies of over 10%. No deviations from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium were found when the expected allele values were compared with the observed values. Sequence analysis of each allele showed a tetranucleotide polymorphism. Alleles 9 to 14 had different sequence structures than alleles 15 to 19. Allele 18 had a different sequence in the Japanese sample compared to an Austrian sample. The power of discrimination was 0.95. The present results demonstrate that the D2S1242 STR locus is a useful genetic marker in the Japanese population.     

High frequency of GJB2 mutation W24X among Slovak Romany (Gypsy) patients with non-syndromic hearing loss (NSHL)

Mutations in the GJB2 gene (connexin 26) represent a major cause of autosomal recessive non-syndromic hearing loss (NSHL) worldwide. In most Caucasian populations, the 35delG mutation in this gene was found to account for up to 50% of cases of the genetic non-syndromic childhood deafness. In populations of non-European ethnic background, other GJB2 gene mutations are occasionally common, e.g. 167delT in Ashkenazi Jews, R143W in Africaans and 235delC in Koreans. In this work, DNA samples from 54 unrelated NSHL patients from endogamous and inbred population of Slovak Roms (Gypsies) from Eastern Slovakia were screened for GJB2 mutations. The coding region of the GJB2 gene of patients was sequenced and mutations W24X, R127H, V153I, L90P and V37I were found. In Slovak Romany population, mutation W24X accounts for 23.2%, R127H for 19.4%, 35delG for 8.3%, V153I for 3.7%, L90P for 3.7% and V37I for 0.9% of screened chromosomes. As the W24X mutation was previously found in India and Pakistan, were from the European Romanies originate, it was brought by the European Romnanies from their Indian homeland. The carrier frequency of 35delG was estimated for Slovak non-Romany population to be 3.3%, and for Slovak Romany population to 0.88%. The carrier frequency of W24X varied in different Slovak Romany subpopulations from 0.0% up to 26.1%.     

云南泸西汉族17个Y-STR基因座多态性及遗传关系分析

调查云南泸西县汉族群体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。应用AmpF?STR?Yfiler荧光标记复合扩增系统扩增156名汉族无关男性个体的17个Y-STR基因座, 用ABI3100遗传分析仪进行基因检测, 计算等位基因及单倍型频率, 并结合已公开发表的国内外其他16个群体的遗传学资料, 分析各群体间的遗传距离。云南泸西汉族男性群体中, 共观察到154种单倍型, 其中152种为仅观察到1次的单倍型, 2种单倍型观察到2次, 单倍型多样性(HD)值为0.9998, 基因多样性(GD)值在0.3901(DYS437)—0.9632(DYS385a/b)。17个群体遗传距离分析提示, 国内人群云南泸西汉族与湖南汉族的遗传距离最小(0.005), 与闽南汉族的遗传距离最大(0.035); 在中国周边群体中,云南泸西汉族与新加坡华人的遗传距离最小(0.015), 与日本人和马来西亚印度人群的遗传距离最大(0.060)。结果表明, 17个Y-STR基因座在云南泸西汉族中具有较高的遗传多态性, 适用当地的法医学应用。与其他民族群体的遗传多样性比较, 对了解各群体的起源、迁徙及相互关系有重要意义。     

三个STR位点在哈萨克族中的遗传多态性

运用复合PCR扩增,6％变性聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳结合银染技术对我国新疆102位无关的哈萨克族个体进行D16S539,D7S820,D13S317的STR位点的调查,为建立新疆哈萨克族群体数据库提供资料。经统计学检验,3个位点的基因型频率分布符合Hardy-Weinberg平衡定律,结果显示3个位点的期望杂合度为：0.9439、0.9356、0.9304,累积PIC＝0.9905,DP＝0.9998,PE=9572。紫外,比较新疆哈萨克族与其他4个人群的等位片段频率,发现除与北京汉族在D7S820位点上无统计学意义外（P＞0.05）,其他均可见显著性差异（P＜0.05）。同时,在8个家系42人的调查中无一突变发现且均按孟德尔遗传规律传递。3个STR位点的联合分析在法医学应用及群体遗传学中显示了较高的价值。     

The natural enemy complex of the gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar (Lep., Lymantriidae) in different phases of its population dynamics in eastern Austria and Slovakia – a comparative study

Parasitism and pathogen mortality of Lymantria dispar were compared between host populations of different densities in Slovakia and Austria. Over a period of 4 years, L. dispar eggs, larvae, and pupae were collected in a stage‐specific manner at three mixed oak stands in each country and reared in the laboratory to assess parasitoid and pathogen mortality. At sites with low host densities, L. dispar abundance was artificially augmented by exposing egg masses and young larvae. We ascertained marked differences between the natural enemy complexes of L. dispar populations in Slovakia and Austria. Overall, pathogens caused highest mortality in the former and parasitoids in the latter. Moreover, the species composition differed significantly between both countries. High variation was also observed between years and host populations at different densities. The investigations revealed that egg parasitization was low in Slovak L. dispar populations, and no egg parasitoids were found in Austria. Larval and pupal parasitism was low at sites with outbreak populations, but higher at the Austrian than at the Slovak site. The tachinid Parasetigena silvestris was the dominant species at elevated host densities. Nuclear polyhedrosis virus also caused significant mortality in these cases. An increase in parasitism by several species was noticed after the breakdown of L. dispar populations. The ichneumonid Phobocampe spp. caused high levels of parasitism during the post‐culmination years. At sites where host abundance increased in the first year of the study, significant differences between the Austrian and the Slovak locality could be ascertained. Mortality was low in the population at the latter site, and host abundance increased to outbreak levels the year after. The population at the Austrian site suffered high parasitism by the tachinids P. silvestris and Blepharipa pratensis and this might have contributed to the prevention of a further increase in L. dispar abundance in this locality. Braconids showed a strong reaction to the local, artificial increase in host density at study plots with innocuous L. dispar populations. Particularly high parasitism by Glyptapanteles liparidis was observed at the Austrian site, but G. porthetriae and Cotesia melanoscela also accounted for significant mortality in both low‐density populations. The artificial L. dispar populations were usually eradicated by natural enemies before pupation of the hosts.     

Allelic frequencies and statistical data obtained from 12 codis STR loci in an admixed population of the Brazilian Amazon

The allelic frequencies of 12 short tandem repeat loci were obtained from a sample of 307 unrelated individuals living in Macapá, a city in the northern Amazon region, Brazil. These loci are the most commonly used in forensics and paternity testing. Based on the allele frequency obtained for the population of Macapá, we estimated an interethnic admixture for the three parental groups (European, Native American and African) of, respectively, 46%, 35% and 19%. Comparing these allele frequencies with those of other Brazilian populations and of the Iberian Peninsula population, no significant distances were observed. The interpopulation genetic distances (F(ST) coefficients) to the present database ranged from F(ST) = 0.0016 between Macapá and Belém to F(ST) = 0.0036 between Macapá and the Iberian Peninsula.     

陕西渭南地区汉族人群17个Y-STR基因座多态性及遗传关系分析

调查陕西渭南地区汉族群体17个Y-STR基因座的多态性,探讨其群体遗传学及法医学应用价值。应用Y-fi ler荧光标记复合扩增系统,对413名陕西渭南地区汉族无关男性个体17个Y-STR基因座进行复合扩增,用ABI3130遗传分析仪进行基因分型,计算各基因座的群体遗传学参数,并结合已经发表的其他10个群体相应基因座的单倍型资料,分析各群体间的遗传距离。413名陕西渭南汉族个体共检出405种单倍型,其中397种单倍型仅出现1次,单倍型多样性达0.9999,基因多样性(GD)为0.4130(DYS391)~0.9734(DYS385a/b),累计GD值为0.9999。遗传距离分析提示,陕西渭南汉族与辽宁满族的遗传距离最小(0.00110),与青海藏族的遗传距离最大(0.22333)。结果表明,17个Y-STR基因座在陕西渭南汉族群体中具有丰富的遗传多态性和较高的非父排除能力,在法医学和人类群体遗传学研究中具有重要价值。     

Genetic polymorphism analysis of 15 STR loci in Chinese Hui ethnic group residing in Qinghai province of China

In the present study, we investigated the diversity distributions of allelic frequencies of 15 short tandem repeats (STRs) loci in a sample of Chinese Hui ethnic group in the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. The allelic frequencies of the 15 STR loci (D8S1179, D21S11, D7S820, CSF1PO, D3S1358, TH01, D13S317, D16S539, D2S1338, D19S433, vWA, TPOX, D18S51, D5S818 and FGA) were obtained from 2975 unrelated healthy Hui individuals. The STR genotyping data of all the samples were generated by DNA extraction, multiple amplification, GeneScan and genotype analysis. The genetic distances among different populations were calculated by using Nei's method and a phylogenetic tree was constructed based on the allelic frequencies of the same 15 STR loci using the neighbor-joining method. A total of 185 alleles were observed in the Hui population, with the corresponding allelic frequencies ranging from 0.0002 to 0.5322. Chi-Square tests showed that all STR loci were in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. The forensic statistical parameters of all the loci showed high values. The population data in this study were compared with the previously published population data from other ethnics or areas. The Hui population showed significant differences from the Minnan Han, Uigur, Ewenki, Yi, Tibetan, Maonan and Malay ethnic minority groups in some loci, and from the South Morocco population and the Moroccan population in all the loci. Our results are valuable for human individual identification and paternity testing in the Chinese Hui population and are expected to enrich the genetic information resources of Chinese populations.     

Autosomal STR variation in five Austronesian populations

Human population characteristics at the genetic level are integral to both forensic biology and population genetics. This study evaluates biparental microsatellite markers in five Austronesian-speaking groups to characterize their intra- and interpopulation differences. Genetic diversity was analyzed using 15 short tandem repeat (STR) loci from 338 unrelated individuals from 5 Pacific islands populations, including the aboriginal Ami and Atayal groups from Taiwan, Bali and Java in Indonesia, and the Polynesian islands of Samoa. Allele frequencies from the STR profiles were determined and compared to other geographically targeted worldwide populations procured from recent literature. Hierarchical AMOVA analysis revealed a large number of loci that exhibit significant correspondence to linguistic partitioning among groups of populations. A pronounced divide exists between Samoa and the East (Formosa) and Southeast Asian (Bali and Java) islands. This is clearly illustrated in the topology of the neighbor-joining tree. Phylogenetic analyses also indicate clear distinctions between the Ami and Atayal and between Java and Bali, which belie the respective geographic proximities of the populations in each set. This differentiation is supported by the higher interpopulation variance components of the Austronesian populations compared to other Asian non-Austronesian groups. Our phylogenetic data indicate that, despite their linguistic commonalities, these five groups are genetically distinct. This degree of genetic differentiation justifies the creation of population-specific databases for human identification.     

Comparative analysis of allele polymorphism of three short tandem repeats in the Russian, Uzbek and Georgian populations

The allele polymorphism of the AGC short tandem repeat (STR) of exon 1 of the androgen receptor (AR) gene located in Xq11-12, ATCT STR of intron 40 of the von Willebrand factor (vWF) gene located in chromosome 12p12, and AGAT STR of an anonymous DNA sequence (STRX1) from the short arm of the X chromosome was analyzed in the Georgian, Uzbek, and Russian populations. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with DNA of unrelated persons revealed 14 AR, 7 vWF, and 7 STRX1 alleles in Georgians; 14, 8, and 6 alleles, respectively, in Uzbeks; and 16, 8, and 9 alleles, respectively, in Russians. The heterozygosity at these STR was 0.61, 0.78, and 0.46 in Georgians; 0.60, 0.83, and 0.44 in Uzbeks; and 0.80, 0.70, and 0.58 in Russians. The correspondence of genotype frequencies to the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium was observed with AR STR in Russians and Uzbeks, STRX1 STR in Georgians, and vWF in all three populations. A significant deviation from the equilibrium was found for STRX1 in Russians and Uzbeks and AR in Georgians. The potential of individualization was 0.05 for AR, 0.13 for vWF, and 0.18 for STRX1 in Georgians; 0.04, 0.09, and 0.13, respectively in Uzbeks; and 0.05, 0.14, and 0.07, respectively, in Russians. The allele and genotype frequency distributions of each STR were analyzed in all three populations. Allele frequencies in the populations were compared by the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. The Russian population significantly differed in allele frequencies of the three STR from Uzbeks and in those of STRX1 and AR from Georgians. Georgians and Uzbeks significantly differed in vWF and STRX1 frequencies. The possibility of using the three STR in molecular diagnosis of the corresponding monogenic diseases, population genetic studies, and personal identification is discussed.     

Population-genetic structure of Chuvashia (from data on eight DNA loci in the nuclear genome)

Population-genetic study of indigenous populations representing three ethnic Chuvash group: highland (Cheboksarsk and Morgaush district), lowland (Kanash district) and mid-lowland (Marposad district). Eight polymorphic DNA loci of the nuclear genome (VNTR/PAH, STR/PAH, VNTR/ApoB, VNTR/DAT1, APF, VNTR/eNOS, IVS6aGATT, and KM.19/PstI) were examined in the population of each district. For each of the four population, we estimated the allele and genotype frequency distributions at each polymorphic system, heterozygosities HS and between-population differences FST. In the combined Chuvash sample, HS = 0.464 and FST = 0.006. Loci VNTR(DAT) and VNTR(ApoB) showed highest between-population differentiation (0.009 < or = FST < or = 0.012), and loci IVS6aGATT, APF, VNTR/eNOS, and D7S23 (KM.19), lowest differentiation (0.001 < or = FST < or = 0.003). Analysis of genetic distances revealed somewhat higher genetic similarity between the Cheboksarsk and Morgaush populations belonging to the highland Chuvash group, whereas the highland Chuvash population from the Marposad district, which belong to the mid-lowland group, was more distant from the former populations.     

Neighbour joining trees, dominant markers and population genetic structure

Population genetic theory for 'traditional' codominant loci showing low levels of allelic diversity (eg allozymes) has been well characterised and evaluated. In contrast, appropriate methods for the analysis of data from more recently developed marker systems are still being refined. For multilocus dominant markers such as amplified fragment length polymorphisms (AFLPs) and randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPDs), the methods of data analysis can be split into two main categories. In population-based approaches, population allele frequencies are compared to obtain some measure of the partitioning of genetic diversity into within- and between-population components. In contrast, individual-based approaches use individual multilocus genotypes as the unit of analysis. Inferences on population processes such as gene flow are based on inter-relationships among individual samples as visualised on phenetic diagrams such as neighbour joining trees. Using a simulation approach coupled with neighbour joining analyses, we show that while the underlying population genetic structure is an important determinant of tree shape in the analysis of dominant data, the number of loci examined also affects the topology. At low levels of population differentiation (eg FST=0.07), mutually exclusive clustering of individuals into their respective populations can occur when sufficiently large numbers of loci are scored (eg 250 loci, typical of many AFLP studies). In contrast, unresolved star-shaped topologies can be recovered at higher levels of population differentiation (FST= >0.15) when lower numbers of loci are employed (eg 50 loci, typical of many RAPD studies). Thus, the relationship between tree topology and the extent of genetic structuring of populations is contingent upon the number of dominant loci scored. The consequences of these findings for the biological interpretation of individual-based analysis of dominant data sets are discussed.     

Craniometry of the Slovak northeastern beavers (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Castor fiber</Emphasis>) in comparison with the Ukrainian and Polish populations and contribution to the knowledge of the enamel thickness of beaver’s incisors

Like in most European countries, the population of the European beaver (Castor fiber) in Slovakia became extinct in the nineteenth century. Thanks to reintroduction of beavers in neighboring states, after a long break the beaver returns also to the territory of Slovakia. This has particularly affected the present distribution of beavers in the Slovak Republic. The first aim of the work was to find phylogenetic similarities of the northeastern Slovak population with the Ukrainian and Polish ones comparing their adult skulls and mandibles on the basis of craniometric measurements. A total of 28 measurements were taken on each skull and mandible. The statistical evaluation showed that the most similar were the Slovak and Ukrainian skulls, while in 8 cranial parameters the Ukrainian and Polish populations were found to be significantly different. The second aim was related to their ability to fell trees. The enamel thickness of incisors in the jaw and mandible were compared within the Slovak sample by measuring for 18 teeth, which were previously scanned by the X-Ray Computer Tomography. The results showed that the average thickness of incisors enamel in the mandible was 0.34 mm, while the incisors of the maxilla had enamel approximately 0.29 mm thick.