title: Genetic differentiation and origin of the Jordanian population: an analysis of Alu insertion polymorphisms.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Although much of Jordan is covered by desert, its north-western region forms part of the Fertile Crescent region that had given a rich past to Jordanians. This past, scarcely described by historians, is not yet clarified by sufficient genetic data. Thus in this paper we aim to determine the genetic differentiation of the Jordanian population and to discuss its origin.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 150 unrelated healthy Jordanians were investigated for ten Alu insertion polymorphisms. Genetic relationships among populations were estimated by a principal component (PC) plot based on the analyses of the R-matrix software.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Statistical analysis showed that the Jordanian population is not significantly different from the United Arab Emirates population or the North Africans. This observation, well represented in PC plot, suggests a common origin of these populations belonging respectively to ancient Mesopotamia, Arabia, and North Africa.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results are compatible with ancient peoples' movements from Arabia to ancient Mesopotamia and North Africa as proposed by historians and supported by previous genetic results. The original genetic profile of the Jordanian population, very likely Arabian Semitic, has not been subject to significant change despite the succession of several civilizations.
authors: Laboratory of Human Genetics and Anthropology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Monastir, Monastir, Tunisia.
authors: Raoudha
authors: R
authors: Bahri
authors: Wifak
authors: W
authors: El Moncer
authors: Khalid
authors: K
authors: Al-Batayneh
authors: May
authors: M
authors: Sadiq
authors: Esther
authors: E
authors: Esteban
authors: Pedro
authors: P
authors: Moral
authors: Hassen
authors: H
authors: Chaabani
mesh_terms: D020087:Alu Elements / Q000235:genetics*; D051456:Gene Flow; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005828:Genetics, Population; D006801:Humans; D007597:Jordan; D016254:Mutagenesis, Insertional; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D025341:Principal Component Analysis