Geografía génica de Chile. Distribución regional de los aportes genéticos americanos, europeos y africanos

MACARENA FUENTES; IVAN PULGAR; CARLA GALLO; BORTOLINI, MARIA CATIRA; SAMUEL CANIZALES QUINTEROS; GABRIEL BEDOYA; GONZÁLEZ JOSÉ, ROLANDO; ANDRES RUIZ-LINARES; FRANCISCO ROTHHAMMER

REVISTA MéDICA DE CHILE

SOC MEDICA SANTIAGO

Año: 2014 vol. 142 p. 281 - 289

0034-9887

Background: The geographical distribution of genes plays a key role in genetic epidemiology. The Chilean population has three major stem groups (Native American, European and African). Aim: To estimate the regional rate of American, European and African admixture of the Chilean population. Subjects and Methods: Forty single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP´s) which exhibit substantially different frequencies between Amerindian populations (ancestryinformative markers or AIM´s), were genotyped in a sample of 923 Chilean participants to estimate individual genetic ancestry. Results: The American, European and African individual average admixture estimates for the 15 Chilean Regions were relatively homogeneous and not statistically different. However, higher American components were found in northern and southern Chile and higher European components were found in central Chile. A negative correlation between African admixture and latitude was observed. On the average, American and European genetic contributions were similar and significantly higher than the African contribution. Weighted mean American, European and African genetic contributions of 44.34% ± 3 9%, 51.85% ± 5.44% and 3.81% ± 0 .45%, were estimated. Fifty two percent of subjects harbor African genes. Individuals with Aymara and Mapuche surnames have an American admixture of 58.64% and 68.33%, respectively. Conclusions: Half of the Chilean population harbors African genes. Participants with Aymara and Mapuche surnames had a higher American genetic contribution than the general Chilean population. These results confirm the usefulness of surnames as a first approximation to determine genetic ancestry. (Rev Med Chile 2014; 142: