High interpopulation homogeneity in Central Argentina as assessed by Ancestry Informative Markers (AIMs)

ANGELINA GARCÍA; DARÍO A. DERMARCHI; LUCIANA TOVO-RODRIGUES; MAIA PAURO; SIDIA M. CALLEGARI-JACQUES; FRANCISCO M. SALZANO; MARA H. HUTZ

GENETICS AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY

SOC BRASIL GENETICA

Lugar: Sao Paulo; Año: 2015 vol. 38 p. 324 - 331

1415-4757

Argentina?s population has been studied in relation to several genetic markers, but much more data are needed for the appropriate definition of its genetic profile. This study aimed at investigating the admixture patterns and genetic structure in Central Argentina, using biparental markers and compare the results with those previously obtained by us with mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) in the same samples. A total of 521 healthy unrelated individuals living in 13 villages of the Córdoba and San Luis provinces, Argentina, were tested. The individuals were genotyped for ten autosomal ancestry informative markers (AIMs). Allele frequencies were compared with those from African, European, and Native American populations chosen to represent parental contributions. The AIM estimates indicated a more marked influence of the Native American ancestry present in them as compared to previous studies in the same or other Argentinian regions, but less than those observed with the mtDNA tests. These differences can be explained respectively by different genetic contributions between rural and urban areas, and asymmetric gene flow which occurred in the past. But the most unexpected finding was the marked interpopulation genetic homogeneity found in villages located in diverse geographic environments across a wide territory, suggesting considerable gene flow.