Restricted geographic distribution for Y-Q* paragroup in South America

GRACIELA BAILLIET, VIRGINIA RAMALLO, MARINA MUZZIO, ANGELINA GARCÍA, MARÍA RITA SANTOS, EMMA L. ALFARO, JOSÉ E. DIPIERRI, SUSANA SALCEDA, FRANCISCO R. CARNESE, CLAUDIO M. BRAVI, NÉSTOR O. BIANCHI, DARÍO A. DEMARCHI

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY

Wiley-Liss

Lugar: New York; Año: 2009 vol. 140 p. 578 - 582

0002-9483

We analyzed 21 paragroup Q* Y chromosomes from South American aboriginal andurban populations. Our aims were to evaluate the phylogenetic status, geographic distributionand genetic diversity in these groups of chromosomes and compare the degree of geneticvariation in relation to Q1a3a haplotypes. All Q* chromosomes from our series and 5 samplesfrom North American Q* presented the derivate state for M346, that is present upstream to M3,and determined Q1a3* paragroup. We found a restrictive geographic distribution and lowfrequency of Q1a3* in South America. We assumed that this low frequency could be reflectingextreme drift effects. However, several estimates of gene diversity do not support the existenceof a severe bottleneck. The mean expected haplotype diversity was similar for South AmericanQ1a3* and Q1a3a (0.478, and 0.501, respectively). The analysis of previous reports from otherresearch groups and the present study shows the highest frequencies of Q* for the West Corner,and the Grand Chaco regions of South America. At present, there is no information on whetherthe phylogenetic status of Q* paragoup described in previous reports is similar to that of Q1a3*paragroup though our results support this possibility.