title: Ethnic composition and genetic differentiation of the Libyan population: insights on Alu polymorphisms.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  It is thought that the ancient population of Libya was mainly composed of Saharan Berbers. Socio-geographic conditions and historical events have exerted some changes on the composition of the present-day Libyan population.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To screen a set of autosomal Alu markers in a representative sample of the general Libyan population in order to study its ethnic and genetic structure and to re-examine its genetic relationships with Mediterranean and Middle Eastern groups.
  
  
  METHODS
  A sample of 190 Libyans was analysed for 17 Alu insertions. The sample was divided according to the Arabic or Berber origin of individuals' surnames.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The current general Libyan population is homogeneous and shows considerable genetic diversity compared with other North Mediterranean and North African populations. It shows intermediate genetic distances between Moroccans, Algerians and Tunisians on one side and Egyptian Siwa Berbers on the other. No particular affinities with Middle Eastern groups were detected.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Alu insertions are useful markers to contribute to the reconstruction of human population history at a microgeographic scale, in particular when the analyses include anthropologically well sampled populations. The present results provide new information to improve understanding some aspects of the complex peopling of North Africa.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Human Genetics and Anthropology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Monastir , 5000 Monastir , Tunisia .
authors.forename: Abir Ben
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Halima
authors.forename: Raoudha
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bahri
authors.forename: Esther
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Esteban
authors.forename: Mohamed Habib Ben
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Aribia
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*; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D014644:Genetic Variation; D006801:Humans; D008002:Libya; D008297:Male; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic