Interpopulational and Intrapopulational Genetic Diversity of Amerindians as Revealed by Six Variable Number of Tandem Repeats

Abstract

The allele frequencies of six VNTRs (D1S80, D4S43, ApoB 3’ VNTR, von Willebrand factor VNTR-I, DXS52 and DYS19) in 123 Amerindians from five tribes (Arara, Wayana-Apalai, Wayampi, Yanomama and Kayapo) were compared with three other Brazilian populations: Whites, Blacks, and individuals of Japanese extraction. The data clearly distinguished the four populations, and measurements of diversity show a decreasing average heterozygosity from Blacks to Whites, Japanese, and Indians. Seven novel alleles were observed; amongst them, two small DYS19 alleles and a large D4S43 allele occurred only in Indians, and may be useful genetic markers for this population. Other prominent features of the Amerindians were: (1) high frequency of ApoB allele 46; (2) absence of a shorter variant of D4S43 allele 1; (3) high frequency, limited to one tribe, of allele 12 of the von Willebrand VNTR. The study also demonstrated a heterogeneity of the Indian tribes, due to both different allele frequencies and the presence or absence of specific alleles. Gst was 0.106 for the five Indian populations, and 0.065 for Whites, Blacks and Japanese. H_S and H_T demonstrated that 11 % of the total diversity among Amerindians is caused by interpopulational variability, as compared with 7% for the other three racial groups. In contrast, diversity within each tribe is usually low, as demonstrated by a low average number of alleles per locus. These findings indicate that the study of a small number of tribes may not be representative of the variability of Amerindians, even if a large number of individuals are studied. To capture the whole range of genetic variability of Amerindians, it is necessary to study a large number of populations. The limited genetic diversity thus far observed for Amerindians seems to reflect both a genuine decrease of diversity and a bias caused by the study of limited numbers of tribes.

Geographic and Ethnic Differences in the Prevalence of Thrombophilia

“…Arruda et al (1998) described in Amazonian Tupy Indians a frequency of 0.114 (homozygosity 1.2%). It seems that intertribal heterogeneity exists, which might be caused by isolation of small subpopulations and a high degree of consanguinity, as well as by genetic drift (Zago et al, 1996). This might also be an explanation for the deviations from the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium we found in Guaymi Indians and CRAfricans from Limon.…”

Molecular variability in Amerindians: widespread but uneven information

“…Calafell et al (1998,1999 Chang et al (1996); Tishkoff et al (1996aTishkoff et al ( ,b, 1998Tishkoff et al ( , 2000; Kidd et al (1998,2000); Leboute et al (1999) et al (1997, 1999, 2000); Santos et al (1998); Kaufman et al (1999) (1993); Barley et al (1994);Franco et al (1994Franco et al ( , 1996Franco et al ( , 1997; Zago et al (1996);Covas et al (1997); Marin et al (1997); Olsson et al (1998);Destro-Bistrol et al (2000); Neel (2000); 76. Mesa et al (2000); 77.…”

Apolipoprotein B 3′-VNTR polymorphism in Eastern European populations

“…7 -18 The allele frequency patterns in Kalmyks and Yakuts diverged from those reported in Caucasoid peoples, but resembled those of Mongoloids. 3,19,20 Comparison of the allele distributions in different ethnic groups was made using the R Â C test 30 for each pair of populations studied. When we compared each of the Mongoloid populations (Yakuts and Kalmyks) with any Caucasoid population, statistically significant (Po0.0001) differences were found.…”

“…2 -20 This HVR polymorphism has been widely used in investigations of the history and diversity of humans, both worldwide and in individual population groups. 2,5,7,8,12,19 It is considered a suitable locus for a pilot study of the relationships between the shape of allele-size distributions of minisatellites and the micro-evolutionary processes leading to their presentday distribution. 2 The allele-size frequencies can be used to calculate interpopulation genetic distances.…”