title: Revisiting the Diego Blood Group System in Amerindians: Evidence for Gene-Culture Comigration.
abstract: Six decades ago the DI*A allele of the Diego blood group system was instrumental in proving Native American populations originated from Siberia. Since then, it has received scant attention. The present study was undertaken to reappraise distribution of the DI*A allele in 144 Native American populations based on current knowledge. Using analysis of variance tests, frequency distribution was studied according to geographical, environmental, and cultural parameters. Frequencies were highest in Amazonian populations. In contrast, DI*A was undetectable in subarctic, Fuegian, Panamanian, Chaco and Yanomama populations. Closer study revealed a correlation that this unequal distribution was correlated with language, suggesting that linguistic divergence was a driving force in the expansion of DI*A among Native Americans. The absence of DI*A in circumpolar Eskimo-Aleut and Na-Dene speakers was consistent with a late migratory event confined to North America. Distribution of DI*A in subtropical areas indicated that gene and culture exchanges were more intense within than between ecozones. Bolstering the utility of classical genetic markers in biological anthropology, the present study of the expansion of Diego blood group genetic polymorphism in Native Americans shows strong evidence of gene-culture comigration.
authors.affiliation: Aix Marseille Université, CNRS, EFS, ADES UMR 7268, 13916 Marseille, France.
authors.forename: Christophe
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bégat
authors.affiliation: Aix Marseille Université, CNRS, EFS, ADES UMR 7268, 13916 Marseille, France; Etablissement Français du Sang Alpes Méditerranée, 13392 Marseille cedex 5, France.
authors.forename: Pascal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bailly
authors.affiliation: Aix Marseille Université, CNRS, EFS, ADES UMR 7268, 13916 Marseille, France; Etablissement Français du Sang Alpes Méditerranée, 13392 Marseille cedex 5, France.
authors.forename: Jacques
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chiaroni
authors.affiliation: Aix Marseille Université, CNRS, EFS, ADES UMR 7268, 13916 Marseille, France.
authors.forename: Stéphane
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mazières
mesh_terms: D000483:Alleles; D001789:Blood Group Antigens / Q000235:genetics*; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D063426:Human Migration; D006801:Humans; D007197:Indians, Central American / Q000235:genetics*; D007199:Indians, South American / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male
chemical_list: D001789:Blood Group Antigens