Analysis of 16 Y STR loci in the Finnish population reveals a local reduction in the diversity of male lineages.
We analysed samples of 400 Finnish males using nine Y-chromosomal short tandem repeat (STR) loci (minimal haplotype); for 200 of these subjects an additional seven Y-chromosomal STR loci were used. The geographical distribution of the observed haplotypes was determined from 200 individuals of known paternal origin within Finland. The observed number of alleles varied from 2 to 13 alleles per locus. A total of 146 minimal haplotypes were identified in our population sample. Interestingly, 90 (22.5%) individuals shared an identical haplotype. This haplotype was extremely frequent in the northern and eastern subpopulations of Savo, Pohjanmaa and Karjala (53, 42 and 37%, respectively). With the seven additional loci analysed in the sample of 200 individuals, 120 haplotypes were identified, and individuals sharing the most common haplotype decreased to 13.0%. However, in comparison to other European populations, the Finnish population showed decreased genetic diversity (GD) when the number of different minimal haplotypes in the population was divided by the sample size (36.5% in Finns versus 83.7% on average). Our results strongly support the earlier hypothesis of individual isolated Y-chromosomal lineages and population substructuring in Finland. For paternity testing, power of exclusion was 92% using minimal haplotype data, but including the seven additional loci this value increased to 97%.
Hedman
M
M
Department of Forensic Medicine, Laboratory of Forensic Biology, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 40, 00014 Helsinki, Finland.
Pimenoff
V
V
Lukka
M
M
Sistonen
P
P
Sajantila
A
A
D000328:Adult; D041322:Chromosomes, Human, Y; D016172:DNA Fingerprinting / Q000379:methods; D005387:Finland; D005787:Gene Frequency; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005828:Genetics, Population; D006239:Haplotypes; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010334:Paternity; D020080:Tandem Repeat Sequences