title: Genetic position of Bahrain natives among wider Middle East populations according to Alu insertion polymorphisms.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The genetic differentiation of Bahrain natives is unclear because of the absence of adequate genetic studies.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Eight Alu insertion polymorphisms have been analysed in Bahrainis and southern Iranians to examine the origins of Bahrainis and to determine their genetic position among wider Middle East populations.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two representative samples of 97 Bahrainis and 65 southern Iranians have been determined. Genetic relationships among populations have been estimated by a principal component plot based on the R-matrix software. Mantel tests have been used to check the statistical significance of correlation between genetic and geographic distances.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results show that Bahrainis are in an intermediate genetic position between Emirians and Southern Iranians. Although a general significant correlation between genetic and geographic distances was found between the 16 populations included in the analysis, a lack of this correlation may occur in some particular situations such as the case of populations from southern Iran, United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain, separated by the Persian Gulf.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results support the idea that Bahrainis ancestors were mainly emigrants from Arabia and Iran. In addition the results show that the Iranian component may reach 69.2% of the current genetic pool of Bahrainis.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Human Genetics and Anthropology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Monastir, Monastir, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Raoudha
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bahri
authors.forename: Abir
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ben Halima
authors.forename: Imen
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ayadi
authors.forename: Esther
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Esteban
authors.forename: Suad M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Alfadhli
authors.forename: Ahmed
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rebai
authors.forename: Pedro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Moral
authors.forename: Hassen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chaabani
mesh_terms: D020087:Alu Elements / Q000235:genetics*; D001445:Bahrain; D005787:Gene Frequency; D005819:Genetic Markers; D014644:Genetic Variation; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran; D008877:Middle East; D016254:Mutagenesis, Insertional; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D025341:Principal Component Analysis; D014479:United Arab Emirates
chemical_list: D005819:Genetic Markers