title: Binary and microsatellite polymorphisms of the Y-chromosome in the Mbenzele pygmies from the Central African Republic.
abstract: This study analyzes the variation of six binary polymorphisms and six microsatellites in the Mbenzele Pygmies from the Central African Republic. Five different haplogroups (B2b, E(xE3a), E3a, P and BR(xB2b,DE,P)) were observed, with frequencies ranging from 0.022 (haplogroup P) to 0.609 (haplogroup E3a). A comparison of haplogroup frequencies indicates a close genetic affinity between the Mbenzele and the Biaka Pygmies, a finding consistent with the common origin and the geographical proximity of the two populations. The haplogroups P, BR(xB2b,DE,P) and E(xE3a), which are rare in sub-Saharan Africa but common in western Eurasia, were observed with frequencies ranging from 0.022 (haplogroup P) to 0.087 (haplogroup E(xE3a)). Thirty different microsatellite haplotypes were detected, with frequencies ranging from 0.022 to 0.152. The Mbenzele share the highest percent of microsatellite haplotypes with the Biaka Pygmies. Five out seven haplotypes which are shared by the Mbenzele and Biaka Pygmies belong to haplogroup E3a, which suggests that they are of Bantu origin. The plot based on F(st) genetic distances calculated using microsatellite data provides a picture of population relationships which is in part congruent and in part complementary to that obtained using haplogroup frequencies. Finally, the Mbenzele and Biaka Pygmies were found to be markedly more genetically similar using Y-chromosomal than autosomal microsatellites. We suggest that this could be due to the higher phylogenetic stability of Y-chromosome and to the effect of the male-biased gene flow during the Bantu expansion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal and Human Biology, University La Sapienza, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Coia
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Caglià
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Arredi
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Donati
authors.forename: Fabrício R
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.forename: Arpita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pandya
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Taglioli
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Paoli
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Pascali
authors.forename: Gabriella
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Spedini
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Destro-Bisol
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tyler-Smith
mesh_terms: D000483:Alleles; D044383:Black People / Q000235:genetics*; D002488:Central African Republic; D041322:Chromosomes, Human, Y / Q000235:genetics*; D005787:Gene Frequency; D014644:Genetic Variation; D006239:Haplotypes; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018895:Microsatellite Repeats / Q000235:genetics*; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D011506:Proteins
chemical_list: D011506:Proteins