Abstracts

Human Genome Diversity

Computer cartography is one of the most powerful modern instruments for a gene pool research. It provides a complex study of the gene pool by data of different sciences. This study includes three data systems: DNA markers (7 loci, 61 alleles, and 25 populations on average); protein gene markers (33 loci, 100 alleles, and 134 populations on average); classical anthropological signs (17 signs, 651 populations). Data Bank "GENE POOL" (MS ACCESS) has been created for analyzing this information. This Bank is hierarchic and factographical; it includes databases of classical, quasugenetic (surnames), DNA, and other markers. The data bases are interrelated by the paths of a transmission and processing of formalized data; data input, storage, search, selection by all the Bank parameters, and output in different formats are provided. The Bank is a part of the GIS (geoinfosystem) providing statistical and cartographic analysis of gene pools.

Two computer gene geographic maps have been created for each sign of each data system: its distribution in East Europe and in the native area of the Russian people. Each map is based on a digital matrix, its nodes are uniformly scattered on the mapping area. Orthogonal polynomial technique is used to calculate the interpolation value of the sign for each node. Generalized maps of principal components of variations of the East European population and of the Russian people have been created on the basis of maps for each sign system.

Complex analysis has revealed a common pattern of the East European gene pool structure: for each sign system, the maps of the first principal components indicate the same direction of variation, namely "west-to-east". Such uniformity indicates a principal role of interaction of Caucasoid and Mongoloid worlds when forming the East European gene pool. The maps of the second principal components reveal the second significance and gene geographic zones, which reflect the influence of both the steppe peoples and of the Baltic – White Sea race on the gene pool.

Although the native Russian people area occupies a substantial part of East Europe generalized maps of each sign system reveal quite another pattern of Russian gene pool structure, that is a latitudinal "north-to-south" trend. The principal pattern revealed (the longitudinal trend of East European gene pool and the latitudinal trend of Russian gene pool) allow certifying this originality of the Russian gene pool structure.

Methodologically this investigation can be classified as "polysystem study": the patterns, which are revealed by the whole set of independent systems of signs, are expected to be the most unbiased. Polysystem study makes it possible to reveal the most impartial information about the architectonics of a gene pool.

The study was sponsored by RFBR and State program "Trends in Genetics"

Note. Abstracts are published in author's edition

|Home Page| |English Part|

Go to Home