Polymorphic Alu insertions in human populations of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
BACKGROUND
From a demographic and genetic perspective, Bosnia and Herzegovina is interwoven with a number of differentially isolated local populations of indigenous people with different population and religious backgrounds.


OBJECTIVE
In order to estimate their genetic structure, this study investigated the frequencies of 10 Alu polymorphic loci in 10 regional populations distributed across Bosnia and Herzegovina. Genetic differentiation among the three major population groups in Bosnia and Herzegovina was estimated.


METHODS
DNA from 506 unrelated individuals was extracted from buccal swabs using the salting-out extraction method. Each DNA sample was PCR-amplified using locus-specific primers.


RESULTS
Gene diversity values showed similarity in all analysed populations and ranged from 0.305-0.328. FST values for all loci showed that most variability is found within populations. Overall FST for all loci and AMOVA indicated that most variability was detected within populations.


CONCLUSIONS
Results of this study are in agreement with the previous studies, indicating that the three populations in Bosnia and Herzegovina have the same genetic background. There is no significant differentiation among regional populations, pointing to absence of geographic influence. The Bosnian population is clearly located within the European gene pool.
Institute for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Zmaja od Bosne 8 Kampus, 71000 Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. naris.pojskic@ingeb.ba
Naris
N
Pojskic
Elma
E
Silajdzic
Belma
B
Kalamujic
Lejla
L
Kapur-Pojskic
Lejla
L
Lasic
Una
U
Tulic
Rifat
R
Hadziselimovic
D020087:Alu Elements; D017522:Bosnia and Herzegovina; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000235:genetics; D005787:Gene Frequency; D006801:Humans; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D025341:Principal Component Analysis