title: Demographic histories, isolation and social factors as determinants of the genetic structure of Alpine linguistic groups.
abstract: Great European mountain ranges have acted as barriers to gene flow for resident populations since prehistory and have offered a place for the settlement of small, and sometimes culturally diverse, communities. Therefore, the human groups that have settled in these areas are worth exploring as an important potential source of diversity in the genetic structure of European populations. In this study, we present new high resolution data concerning Y chromosomal variation in three distinct Alpine ethno-linguistic groups, Italian, Ladin and German. Combining unpublished and literature data on Y chromosome and mitochondrial variation, we were able to detect different genetic patterns. In fact, within and among population diversity values observed vary across linguistic groups, with German and Italian speakers at the two extremes, and seem to reflect their different demographic histories. Using simulations we inferred that the joint effect of continued genetic isolation and reduced founding group size may explain the apportionment of genetic diversity observed in all groups. Extending the analysis to other continental populations, we observed that the genetic differentiation of Ladins and German speakers from Europeans is comparable or even greater to that observed for well known outliers like Sardinian and Basques. Finally, we found that in south Tyroleans, the social practice of Geschlossener Hof, a hereditary norm which might have favored male dispersal, coincides with a significant intra-group diversity for mtDNA but not for Y chromosome, a genetic pattern which is opposite to those expected among patrilocal populations. Together with previous evidence regarding the possible effects of "local ethnicity" on the genetic structure of German speakers that have settled in the eastern Italian Alps, this finding suggests that taking socio-cultural factors into account together with geographical variables and linguistic diversity may help unveil some yet to be understood aspects of the genetic structure of European populations.
authors: Accademia Europea di Bolzano (EURAC), Istituto per le Mummie e l'Iceman, Bolzano, Italy.
authors: Valentina
authors: V
authors: Coia
authors: Marco
authors: M
authors: Capocasa
authors: Paolo
authors: P
authors: Anagnostou
authors: Vincenzo
authors: V
authors: Pascali
authors: Francesca
authors: F
authors: Scarnicci
authors: Ilaria
authors: I
authors: Boschi
authors: Cinzia
authors: C
authors: Battaggia
authors: Federica
authors: F
authors: Crivellaro
authors: Gianmarco
authors: G
authors: Ferri
authors: Milena
authors: M
authors: Alù
authors: Francesca
authors: F
authors: Brisighelli
authors: George B J
authors: GB
authors: Busby
authors: Cristian
authors: C
authors: Capelli
authors: Frank
authors: F
authors: Maixner
authors: Giovanna
authors: G
authors: Cipollini
authors: Pier Paolo
authors: PP
authors: Viazzo
authors: Albert
authors: A
authors: Zink
authors: Giovanni
authors: G
authors: Destro Bisol
mesh_terms: D041322:Chromosomes, Human, Y / Q000235:genetics*; D003710:Demography / Q000266:history*; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000235:genetics / Q000266:history; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D005260:Female; D051456:Gene Flow; D014644:Genetic Variation; D049668:History, 15th Century; D049669:History, 16th Century; D049670:History, 17th Century; D049671:History, 18th Century; D049672:History, 19th Century; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049674:History, 21st Century; D006801:Humans; D008037:Linguistics; D008297:Male; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000235:genetics; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D044465:White People / Q000208:ethnology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000266:history*