Y-Chromosome Variability in Four Native American Populations from Panama

• Published in: Human biology 2008-06, Vol.80 (3), p.287-302
• Main Authors: Ascunce, Marina S., González-Oliver, Angelica, Mulligan, Connie J.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Airlines; Alleles; Amerindians; Analysis of Variance; Biological anthropology; Chromosomes; Chromosomes, Human, Y - genetics; COLOMBIA; Cultural differences; DNA; DXYS156; DYS19; DYS385; DYS388; DYS389; DYS390; DYS391; DYS392; DYS393; DYS426; DYS439; EMBERÁ; Epidemiology; Evolutionary genetics; FORENSICS; Gene Flow - genetics; Genetic aspects; Genetic diversity; Genetic loci; Genetic Variation - genetics; HAPLOTYPES; Histology; Human biology; Humans; Indians, North American - statistics & numerical data; Indigenous populations; KUNA; Linguistics; LOWER CENTRAL AMERICA; Male; Microsatellite Repeats; Migration; Mitochondrial DNA; NATIVE AMERICANS; Native North Americans; NGÖBÉ; PANAMA; Pilot Projects; Population; Population genetics; s; Scientific research; Sex chromosomes; SHORT TANDEM REPEATS (STRS); Studies; United States; VENEZUELA; WOUNAN; Y CHROMOSOME
• ISSN: 0018-7143; 1534-6617; 1534-6617
• DOI: 10.3378/1534-6617-80.3.287

The allele and haplotype frequencies for 13 Y-chromosome short tandem repeats (STRs) [nine STR loci of the minimal Y-chromosome haplotype (DYS19 -DYS385a -DYS385b -DYS389I -DYS389II -DYS390 -DYS391 -DYS392 -DYS393) plus four additional loci (DYS388, DYS426, DYS439, DXYS156)] were determined in 99 males from 4 Panamanian native American populations, including the Chibcha-speaking Ngöbé and Kuna and the Chocó-speaking Emberá and Wounan. Fifty haplotypes were identified, of which 48 (96%) were specific to a single population and 29 (63%) were found in only a single individual. Gene diversity per locus per population ranged from 0 to 0.814, with the highest gene diversity present at the DYS389II locus in the Emberá. The haplotypic discrimination capacity was low, ranging from 42.3% in the Kuna to 63.1% in the Wounan. The four tribes showed a high degree of differentiation both at the Y chromosome and in the mitochondrial genome, highlighting the importance of genetic structure even in geographically proximate and linguistically related populations.