title: Genetic differences among North African Berber and Arab-speaking populations revealed by Y-STR diversity.
abstract: Y-chromosome STR polymorphisms are inherited in a haploid state which makes them a powerful tool for easy tracing of paternal lineage and for use in human population evolutionary studies. North-African Y chromosomal diversity has traditionally been studied in order to find genetic and geographic associations as well as to test how natural and cultural barriers have affected the degree of genetic flow not only within North Africa but also in a wider Mediterranean context. The degree of Berber/Arab genetic differentiation in the Moroccan population has been tested for a complete set of forensic markers as sixteen Y-chromosomal short tandem repeats (STRs) (DYS19, DYS385, DYS389I, DYS389II, DYS390, DYS391, DYS392, DYS393, DYS437, DYS438, DYS439, DYS448, DYS456, DYS458, DYS635 and GATA H4.1). The results suggest considerable population heterogeneity in North Africa.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ciencias Biomédicas Básicas, Universidad Europea de Madrid, Villaviciosa de Odón, Spain.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gaibar
authors.forename: Esther
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Esteban
authors.forename: Nourdin
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Harich
authors.forename: Mostafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kandil
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fernández-Santander
mesh_terms: D018912:Arabs / Q000235:genetics*; D041322:Chromosomes, Human, Y / Q000235:genetics*; D003710:Demography; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000235:genetics*; D051456:Gene Flow; D005787:Gene Frequency; D005819:Genetic Markers; D005838:Genotype; D006239:Haplotypes; D006801:Humans; D018895:Microsatellite Repeats; D009018:Morocco; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic
chemical_list: D005819:Genetic Markers