Global genetic variation at nine short tandem repeat loci and implications on forensic genetics
Loading...
Date
Authors
Sun, Guangyun
McGarvey, Stephen T.
Bayoumi, Riad
Mulligan, Connie J.
Barrantes Mesén, Ramiro
Raskin, Salmo
Zhong, Yixi
Akey, Joshua
Chakraborty, Ranajit
Deka, Ranjan
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
European Journal of Human Genetics (2003) 11, 39 – 49
Abstract
We have studied genetic variation at nine autosomal short tandem repeat loci in 20 globally distributed
human populations defined by geographic and ethnic origins, viz., African, Caucasian, Asian, Native
American and Oceanic. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the utility and applicability of these nine
loci in forensic analysis in worldwide populations. The levels of genetic variation measured by number of
alleles, allele size variance and heterozygosity are high in all populations irrespective of their effective
sizes. Single- as well as multi-locus genotype frequencies are in conformity with the assumptions of
Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. Further, alleles across the entire set of nine loci are mutually independent
in all populations. Gene diversity analysis shows that pooling of population data by major geographic
groupings does not introduce substructure effects beyond the levels recommended by the National
Research Council, validating the establishment of population databases based on major geographic and
ethnic groupings. A network tree based on genetic distances further supports this assertion, in which
populations of common ancestry cluster together. With respect to the power of discrimination and
exclusion probabilities, even the relatively reduced levels of genetic variation at these nine STR loci in
smaller and isolated populations provide an exclusionary power over 99%. However, in paternity testing
with unknown genotype of the mother, the power of exclusion could fall below 80% in some isolated
populations, and in such cases use of additional loci supplementing the battery of the nine loci is
recommended.
Description
Artículo científico -- Universidad de Costa Rica, Instituto de Investigaciones en Salud. 2003
Keywords
forensic genetics, population genetics, STR database, forensic markers, parentage testing, Hardy – Weinberg equilibrium, Genetics
Citation
http://www.nature.com/ejhg/journal/v11/n1/full/5200902a.html