Searching for the origin of Romanies: Slovakian Romani, Jats of Haryana and Jat Sikhs Y-STR data in comparison with different Romani populations

Haplotype frequencies for 11 Y-STR markers (DYS19, DYS389I, DYS389II, DYS390, DYS391, DYS392, DYS393, DYS385, DYS437, DYS438 and DYS439) in a Romani population (n=63) from Slovakia, Jats of Haryana (n=84) and Jat Sikhs (n=80) from India were determined. The Slovakian Romani, the Haryana and Sikh populations were endogamous based on their unique haplotype ratio and haplotype diversity values, although the Sikh population appeared to be more diverse. AMOVA revealed non-significant differences between the Romanies and significant differences with non-Romani populations. The Macedonian Romani population differed from all Romani populations examined. Frequent haplotypes observed in Romani populations were sporadic in northwest Indian populations. Thirteen out of 316 populations worldwide were found to share the six most frequent haplotypes of the Slovakian Romanies when the screening conditions were narrowed based on the population size to be over 40, the occurrence of the haplotypes was more than one and the sum frequencies of the most frequent haplotypes was at least 0.02. The most common haplotypes were also observed in other Romani groups. When searching with two Indian (Malbar and Malaysian Indian) most frequent haplotypes under the same conditions matches could be detected in all Romani populations except for the Macedonian Romanies. The search with the Jat Sikhs and Jats of Haryana most frequent haplotypes resulted no matches in Romani populations.     

Forensic Analysis of mtDNA Haplotypes from Two Rural Communities in Haiti Reflects Their Population History

Abstract: Very little genetic data exist on Haitians, an estimated 1.2 million of whom, not including illegal immigrants, reside in the United States. The absence of genetic data on a population of this size reduces the discriminatory power of criminal and missing‐person DNA databases in the United States and Caribbean. We present a forensic population study that provides the first genetic data set for Haiti. This study uses hypervariable segment one (HVS‐1) mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) nucleotide sequences from 291 subjects primarily from rural areas of northern and southern Haiti, where admixture would be minimal. Our results showed that the African maternal genetic component of Haitians had slightly higher West‐Central African admixture than African‐Americans and Dominicans, but considerably less than Afro‐Brazilians. These results lay the foundation for further forensic genetics studies in the Haitian population and serve as a model for forensic mtDNA identification of individuals in other isolated or rural communities.     

Evaluation of population variation at 17 autosomal STR and 16 Y-STR haplotype loci in Croatians

Seventeen autosomal STR loci (D8S1179, D21S11, D7S820, CSF1PO, D3S1358, TH01, D13S317, D16S539, D2S1338, D19S433, VWA, TPOX, D18S51, D5S818, FGA, Penta E and Penta D) and 16 Y-STR haplotype loci (DYS19, DYS385, DYS389I, DYS398II, DYS390, DYS391, DYS392, DYS393, DYS437, DYS438, DYS439, DYS448, DYS456, DYS458, DYS635 and GATA H4.1) were analyzed in the sample of 200 unrelated Croatians. The agreement with HWE was confirmed for all autosomal STR loci. The combined power of discrimination (PD) and the combined power of exclusion (PE) for the 17 autosomal STR loci were 0.999999999999999999682299331476 and 0.99999995, respectively. Penta E proved to be the most informative autosomal STR locus. Among 200 Croatian males, 197 Y-STR haplotypes were identified and haplotype diversity was estimated at 0.9998 ± 0.0005.     

Population data for Y-chromosome haplotypes defined by 17 STRs (AmpFlSTR YFiler) in Central Portugal

The 17 Y-chromosome STR loci (DYS19, DYS389I, DYS389II, DYS390, DYS456, DYS391, DYS392, DYS393 and DYS385 a/b, DYS458, DYS439, DYS635, GATA H4.1, DYS437, DYS438 and DYS448) were determined for 100 unrelated males, living in Central Portugal, using the AmpFlSTR YFiler PCR Amplification kit (Applied Biosystems).A total of 99 different haplotypes were found, with only two individuals sharing the same haplotype. The overall haplotype diversity (HD) was determined as 0.9998, a value similar to other Y Filer data sets.Y-STR polymorphisms in Central Portugal population, using YFiler, provide a powerful discrimination tool for routine forensic applications.     

Y-chromosomal STR haplotypes in a Gypsy population from Portugal

We analyzed 17 Y-chromosomal STR loci in a population sample of 126 unrelated Portuguese Gypsies. Fifty three different haplotypes were found, three represented with considerable high frequencies (≥8.7%). The percentage of unique haplotypes (71.2%) was rather low as well as haplotype diversity (94.37%). In the comparison with available Portuguese population data and with those from other Gypsy and general population samples from Bulgaria, Lithuania and Spain, our sample showed significant differences in comparison with the general population data from Portugal, Spain and Bulgaria. Significant differences were observed with Bulgarian Gypsies, but not with the Spanish or Lithuanian groups. The Gypsy populations from Portugal, Spain and Bulgaria were found to be more closely related to each other than with the general population from their own countries.     

利用Y-STR单倍型推断嫌疑人家族来源的研究

目的调查山东寿光地区汉族男性家族起源及研究17个Y-STR基因座单倍型在家族中的遗传稳定性。方法对寿光地区624个无关男性家族群体进行抽样,应用Y-filer荧光标记复合扩增系统,对17个Y-STR基因座复合扩增,用ABI3130XL型基因分析仪对扩增产物进行检测,并统计其群体遗传学参数。结果未发现家族性偶合。结论寿光地区624个汉族无关男性家族在经过了约七百年的遗传和突变累积后,其Y-STR单倍型仍具有较强的家族识别能力,可以很好地用于推断嫌疑人的家族来源。     

Polymorphism analysis of Y-chromosomal haplotypes in the Chinese Han population living in the Shaanxi province of China

Population: Chinese Han population living in the Shaanxi Province of China.     

Mitochondrial DNA control region polymorphism in the population of Alagoas state, north-eastern Brazil

The sequences of the two hypervariable (HV) segments of the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region were determined in 167 randomly selected, unrelated individuals living in the state of Alagoas, north-eastern Brazil. One hundred and forty-five different haplotypes, associated with 139 variable positions, were determined. More than 95% of the mtDNA sequences could be allocated to specific mtDNA haplogroups according to the mutational motifs. Length heteroplasmy in the C-stretch HV1 and HV2 regions was observed in 22 and 11%, respectively, of the population sample. The genetic diversity was estimated to be 0.9975 and the probability of two random individuals presenting identical mtDNA haplotypes was 0.0084. The most frequent haplotype was shared by six individuals. All sequences showed high-quality values and phantom mutations were not detected. The diversity revealed in the mitochondrial control region indicates the importance of this locus for forensic casework and population studies within Alagoas, Brazil.