Sequence-Based analysis of the HLA-DRB1 polymorphism in Metalsa Berber and Chaouya Arabic-speaking groups from Morocco.
To examine the genetic diversity in Morocco, the polymorphism at the HLA-DRB1 locus was investigated in two populations: the Metalsa group consisting of Berbers from north Morocco (who speak the Tarifit language and live in the Nador area), and the Chaouya group who are Arabic-speaking people from west Morocco (Atlantic coast) living in the Settat area. The DRB1 alleles of 197 healthy unrelated individuals were identified by direct DNA sequencing of exon 2 using fluorescently-labeled primers. A total of 28 and 29 alleles at DRB1 locus were identified in the Metalsa and Chaouya groups, respectively. The most frequent alleles in the Metalsa group are DRB1*03011 (20.2%), DRB1*0701 (12.12%), and DRB1*1302 (11.11%). In the Chaouya group, DRB1*0701 (16.33%), DRB1*15011 (12.76%), and DRB1*03011 (11.73%) are most common. Each population exhibits some specific variants and some uncommon alleles. The frequency of the DRB1*03011 allele differs significantly between the two populations (p = 0.0311). The DRB1 frequency distributions in the two groups suggest the effects of balancing selection. The interpopulation analysis highlighted a strong relatedness, based on genetic distances, between the two Moroccan groups and the other north Africans (the Moroccans from El Jadida area, Moroccan Souss Berbers, Algerians, and Tunisians), and to a lesser extent with the Iberians, French, and Ethiopians.
Oumhani
Khadija
K
Laboratoire d'Immunologie, Institut National D'Hygiene, Rabat, Morocco.
Canossi
Angelica
A
Piancatelli
Daniela
D
Di Rocco
Marilena
M
Del Beato
Tiziana
T
Liberatore
Gabriella
G
Aureli
Anna
A
Benjoaud
Abdelaziz
A
El Aouad
Rajae
R
Adorno
Domenico
D
Casciani
Carlo Umberto
CU
Ben Jouad
Abd Elaziz
AE
D005787:Gene Frequency; D005819:Genetic Markers; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics*; D059811:HLA-DRB1 Chains; D006801:Humans; D009018:Morocco / Q000208:ethnology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
D005819:Genetic Markers; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D059811:HLA-DRB1 Chains