Studies of three Amerindian populations using nuclear DNA polymorphisms

Hum Biol. 1991 Dec;63(6):775-94.

Abstract

Three Amerindian populations, two from Rondônia, Brazil (Karitiana and Rondônia Suruí), and one from Campeche, Mexico (Mayan), were typed for up to 30 nuclear restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs). Heterozygosities, both observed and expected, were compared with those of Europeans. Average heterozygosity is reduced among these Amerindians (relative to that of Europeans) by 7.0% (Mayan) to 27.1% (Karitiana). This amount of heterozygosity in the nuclear DNA is nevertheless high enough that it is unlikely that there was a severe or prolonged bottleneck.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Alleles
  • Brazil
  • Chromosome Mapping
  • DNA / analysis*
  • Gene Frequency
  • Heterozygote
  • Humans
  • Indians, North American / genetics*
  • Indians, South American / genetics*
  • Mexico
  • Polymorphism, Genetic / genetics*
  • Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length
  • Population

Substances

  • DNA