title: Genomic congruence of Indo-European speaking tribes of western India with Dravidian-speaking populations of southern India: A study of 20 autosomal DNA markers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Due to its geographic location, Gujarat has played a major role in assimilation of different cultures with those of the subcontinent of India and is home to a number of Indo-European speaking tribes.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study examined the genetic structure and extent of gene differentiation in eight Indo-European speaking tribal populations of southern Gujarat in western India. It also determined if there was any residual effect of linguistic and cultural assimilation of Indo-European speaking groups on the genomic profile of the tribes under study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty autosomal DNA markers (Alu InDels and Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphisms) were analysed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Average heterozygosity levels were high and degree of gene differentiation (G(ST) = 2%) was small, indicating that genetic drift may not have played a major role in bringing out a characteristic genetic differentiation in these groups. The genetic structure of the populations revealed that neither of these groups was overtly admixed nor completely isolated. Other analyses undertaken on the population affiliations revealed only a slight influence of Indo-European speaking populations on the tribal groups of Gujarat, but there was an overwhelming influence of Dravidian speaking groups of southern India, suggesting that genetic affinities may not necessarily be dependent on linguistic similarities.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anthropology, University of Delhi , Delhi - 110007, India. g26_51@yahoo.co.in
authors.forename: Gautam K
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Kshatriya
authors.forename: Aastha
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aggarwal
authors.forename: Priyanka
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Khurana
authors.forename: Yazdi M
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Italia
mesh_terms: D002877:Chromosomes, Human / Q000235:genetics*; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000235:genetics*; D005060:Europe; D051456:Gene Flow / Q000235:genetics; D005787:Gene Frequency / Q000235:genetics; D056426:Genetic Loci / Q000235:genetics; D005819:Genetic Markers; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005828:Genetics, Population; D015894:Genome, Human / Q000235:genetics*; D005843:Geography; D006239:Haplotypes / Q000235:genetics; D006579:Heterozygote; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000208:ethnology; D007802:Language; D025341:Principal Component Analysis
chemical_list: D005819:Genetic Markers