Geographical, linguistic, and cultural influences on genetic diversity: Y-chromosomal distribution in Northern European populations

We analyzed 10 Y-chromosomal binary markers in 363 males from 8 populations in Northern Europe and 5 Y microsatellites in 346 of these individuals. These populations can be grouped according to cultural, linguistic, or geographical criteria, and the groupings are different in each case. We can there...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Molecular biology and evolution 2001-06, Vol.18 (6), p.1077-1087
Main Authors: Zerjal, T, Beckman, L, Beckman, G, Mikelsaar, A V, Krumina, A, Kucinskas, V, Hurles, M E, Tyler-Smith, C
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Analysis of Variance
Culture
Europe
Genetic Markers - genetics
Genetic Variation
Genetics, Population
Geography
Haplotypes
Humans
Linguistics
Male
Microsatellite Repeats - genetics
Polymorphism, Genetic
Y Chromosome - genetics
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Summary:We analyzed 10 Y-chromosomal binary markers in 363 males from 8 populations in Northern Europe and 5 Y microsatellites in 346 of these individuals. These populations can be grouped according to cultural, linguistic, or geographical criteria, and the groupings are different in each case. We can therefore ask which criterion best corresponds to the distribution of genetic variation. In an AMOVA analysis using the binary markers, 13% of the Y variation was found between populations, indicating a high level of differentiation within this small area. No significant difference was seen between the traditionally nomadic Saami and the neighboring, historically farming, populations. When the populations were divided into Uralic speakers and Indo-European speakers, 8% of the variation was found between groups, but when they were divided according to geographical location, 14% of the variation was between groups. Geographical factors have thus been the most important in limiting gene flow between these populations, but linguistic differences have also been important in the east.
ISSN:0737-4038
1537-1719
DOI:10.1093/oxfordjournals.molbev.a003879