title: The genetic profile of susceptibility to infectious diseases in Roman-Period populations from Central Poland.
abstract: For thousands of years human beings have resisted life-threatening pathogens. This ongoing battle is considered to be the major force shaping our gene pool as every micro-evolutionary process provokes specific shifts in the genome, both that of the host and the pathogen. Past populations were more susceptible to changes in allele frequencies not only due to selection pressure, but also as a result of genetic drift, migration and inbreeding. In the present study we have investigated the frequency of five polymorphisms within innate immune-response genes (SLC11A1 D543N, MBL2 G161A, P2RX7 A1513C, IL10 A-1082G, TLR2 -196 to -174 ins/del) related to susceptibility to infections in humans. The DNA of individuals from two early Roman-Period populations of Linowo and Rogowo was analysed. The distribution of three mutations varied significantly when compared to the modern Polish population. The TAFT analysis suggests that the decreased frequency of SLC11A1 D543N in modern Poles as compared to 2nd century Linowo samples is the result of non-stochastic mechanisms, such as purifying or balancing selection. The disparity in frequency of other mutations is most likely the result of genetic drift, an evolutionary force which is remarkably amplified in low-size groups. Together with the FSTanalysis, mtDNA haplotypes' distribution and deviation from the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, we suggest that the two populations were not interbreeding (despite the close proximity between them), but rather inbreeding, the results of which are particularly pronounced among Rogowo habitants.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences and Postgraduate Education, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, 90-136, Poland. Electronic address: magda.lewandowska@stud.umed.lodz.pl.
authors.forename: Magda
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lewandowska
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences and Postgraduate Education, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, 90-136, Poland.
authors.forename: Krystyna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Jędrychowska-Dańska
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences and Postgraduate Education, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, 90-136, Poland.
authors.forename: Alicja
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zamerska
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences and Postgraduate Education, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, 90-136, Poland.
authors.forename: Tomasz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Płoszaj
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences and Postgraduate Education, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, 90-136, Poland.
authors.forename: Henryk W
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Witas
mesh_terms: D027682:Cation Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D003141:Communicable Diseases / Q000235:genetics*; D000072441:DNA, Ancient / Q000032:analysis*; D040961:Genetic Drift; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000235:genetics*; D049690:History, Ancient; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000235:genetics; D011044:Poland; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide / Q000235:genetics; D018644:Roman World; D000099173:Natural Resistance-associated Macrophage Protein 1
chemical_list: D027682:Cation Transport Proteins; D000072441:DNA, Ancient; D000099173:Natural Resistance-associated Macrophage Protein 1
keywords: Ancient DNA; Genetic drift; Innate immune response; Natural selection