| Abstract: | Population genetic survey of the indigenous populations of the Marii El Republic, represented by the two major ethnographic groups of Maris, Meadow (five samples from Morkinsk, Orshansk, Semursk, Sovetsk, and Zvenigovsk districts) and Mountain (one sample from Gornomariisk district) Maris, was carried out. All Mari groups were examined at nine polymorphic DNA loci of nuclear genome, VNTR(PAH) (N = 422), STR(PAH) (N = 152), VNTR(ApoB) (N= 294), VNTR(DAT1) (N = 363), VNTR(eNOS) (N = 373), ACE (N = 412), IVS6aGATT (N = 513), D7S23(KM.19) (N = 494), and D7S8 (N = 366). Allele and genotype frequency distribution patterns were obtained for individual samples and ethnographic groups, as well as for the ethnic group overall. In each of six Mari samples examined, the deficit of heterozygotes was observed, i.e., the mean observed heterozygosity was lower than the expected one. The indices of mean heterozygosity, Hs = 0.455, and interpopulation differentiation, FST = 0.0024, for the Mari gene pool were obtained using a set of DNA markers analyzed. Analysis of the genetic distances and between population differentiation (FST) showed that the main part of genetic diversity in Maris was determined by the differentiation between the populations of Meadow Maris. The contribution of the differences between the ethnographic groups of Mountain and Meadow Maris to the ethnic gene pool was small. It is suggested that the main role in the formation of the Mari gene pool is played by the geographic factor. |
