Divergent patrilineal signals in three Roma populations

Abstract

Previous studies have revealed that the European Roma share close genetic, linguistic and cultural similarities with Indian populations despite their disparate geographical locations and divergent demographic histories. In this study, we report for the first time Y-chromosome distributions in three Roma collections residing in Belgrade, Vojvodina and Kosovo. Eighty-eight Y-chromosomes were typed for 14 SNPs and 17 STRs. The data were subsequently utilized for phylogenetic comparisons to pertinent reference collections available from the literature. Our results illustrate that the most notable difference among the three Roma populations is in their opposing distributions of haplogroups H and E. Although the Kosovo and Belgrade samples exhibit elevated levels of the Indian-specific haplogroup H-M69, the Vojvodina collection is characterized almost exclusively by haplogroup E-M35 derivatives, most likely the result of subsequent admixture events with surrounding European populations. Overall, the available data from Romani groups points to different levels of gene flow from local populations.

The forensic landscape and the population genetic analyses of Hainan Li based on massively parallel sequencing DNA profiling

“…Hainan Li, an isolated population, experienced limited gene flows with surrounding populations by virtue of geography, history and culture. Such populations include the Andaman Islanders [203,204] and Sardinians [205][206][207] who maintained their unique allele frequency and phenotypic characteristics due to the geographic barriers; the Roma [178,208,209] and the Jews [210][211][212] have maintained genetic coherence over vast geographical distances because of their distinctive history and culture. Population isolation is more likely to generate population-specific haplotypes or lineages, allowing geneticists to trace population history.…”

The Phylogeography of Y-Chromosome Haplogroup H1a1a-M82 Reveals the Likely Indian Origin of the European Romani Populations

“…In contrast with the maternal lineages, where three South Asian-specific lineages were reported [16], the paternal lineage of Roma carries only a single currently discernible South Asian-specific Y-chromosomal founder hg H1a1a-M82, ranging from 10 to 60% frequency in various Roma populations [10], [17], [27]–[31]. The paternal ancestor of hg H1a1a-M82, viz.…”

Analysis of Y-chromosome Diversity in Lingayat and Vokkaliga Populations of Southern India

“…It is noteworthy that the most common haplotype representing the Roma cluster in the H1-M52 network ( Figure 6) matches the 7 Y-STR loci Romani Modal Haplotype (DYS19=15, DYS389I=14, DYS389II=16, DYS390=22, DYS391=10, DYS392=11, DYS393=12) (Gusmao et al, 2008;Regueiro et al, 2011). Interestingly, this haplotype differs from the other two South Asian representative haplotypes in the network ( Figure 6) by only one mutational step at DYS389I (13), suggesting their shared common ancestry (Gusmao et al, 2008;Regueiro et al, 2011) and recent dispersal of Roma from the Indian subcontinent (Fraser 1992).…”

“…Interestingly, this haplotype differs from the other two South Asian representative haplotypes in the network ( Figure 6) by only one mutational step at DYS389I (13), suggesting their shared common ancestry (Gusmao et al, 2008;Regueiro et al, 2011) and recent dispersal of Roma from the Indian subcontinent (Fraser 1992). The considerable degree of haplotype diversity presented by south Indian H1-M52 chromosomes confirms their antiquity (Table 4) and possibly reflects an ancestral homeland for this marker (Sengupta et al, 2006).…”

“…Besides its widespread distributions in South Asian populations, including India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Nepal (Wells et al, 2001;Kivisild et al, 2003;Sahoo et al, 2006;Sengupta et al, 2006;Thanseem et al, 2006;Gayden et al, 2007), haplogroup H-M69 is also present at high frequency among Romani groups residing in Europe (Gresham et al, 2001;Pericic et al, 2005;Gusmao et al, 2008;Klaric et al, 2009;Regueiro et al, 2011). Therefore, it is not surprising that the Kosovo Roma from Serbia maps with Indian populations in the CA plot ( Figure 2) and ML (Figure 3) phylogeny.…”