Research Article

Genetic diversity within a caste population of India as measured by Y-chromosome haplogroups and haplotypes: Subcastes of the Golla of Andhra Pradesh

  1. R. John Mitchell1,*,
  2. B. Mohan Reddy2,
  3. David Campo1,
  4. Tania Infantino1,
  5. Maria Kaps1,
  6. Michael H. Crawford3

Article first published online: 4 JAN 2006

DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.20329

Issue

American Journal of Physical Anthropology

American Journal of Physical Anthropology

Volume 130, Issue 3, pages 385–393, July 2006

Additional Information

How to Cite

Mitchell, R. J., Reddy, B. M., Campo, D., Infantino, T., Kaps, M. and Crawford, M. H. (2006), Genetic diversity within a caste population of India as measured by Y-chromosome haplogroups and haplotypes: Subcastes of the Golla of Andhra Pradesh. American Journal of Physical Anthropology, 130: 385–393. doi: 10.1002/ajpa.20329

Author Information

  1. 1

    Department of Genetics and Human Variation, School of Molecular Sciences, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria 3086, Australia

  2. 2

    Anthropology and Human Genetics Unit, Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata 700108, India

  3. 3

    Laboratory of Biological Anthropology, Department of Anthropology, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas 66045

*Department of Genetics and Human Variation, School of Molecular Sciences, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria 3086, Australia

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 22 MAY 2006
  2. Article first published online: 4 JAN 2006
  3. Manuscript Accepted: 31 MAR 2005
  4. Manuscript Received: 22 OCT 2004

Funded by

  • La Trobe University Postgraduate Research Scholarship

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Keywords:

  • genetic structure;
  • Y-chromosome;
  • haplotypes;
  • caste system;
  • Golla;
  • India

Abstract

The extent of population subdivision based on 15 Y-chromosome polymorphisms was studied in seven subcastes of the Golla (Karnam, Pokanati, Erra, Doddi, Punugu, Puja, and Kurava), who inhabit the Chittoor district of southern Andhra Pradesh, India. These Golla subcastes are traditionally pastoralists, culturally homogeneous and endogamous. DNA samples from 146 Golla males were scored for seven unique event polymorphisms (UEPs) and eight microsatellites, permitting allocation of each into haplogroups and haplotypes, respectively. Genetic diversity (D) was high (range, 0.9048–0.9921), and most of the genetic variance (>91%) was explained by intrapopulation differences. Median-joining network analysis of microsatellite haplotypes demonstrated an absence of any structure according to subcaste affiliation. Superimposition of UEPs on this phylogeny, however, did create some distinct clusters, indicating congruence between haplotype and haplogroup phylogenies. Our results suggest many male ancestors for the Golla as well as for each of the subcastes. Genetic distances among the seven subcastes, based on autosomal markers (short tandem repeats and human leukocyte antigens) as well as those on the chromosome Y, indicate that the Kurava may not be a true subcaste of the Golla. Although this finding is based on a very small Kurava sample, it is in accordance with ethnohistorical accounts related by community elders. The Punugu was the first to hive off the main Golla group, and the most recently separated subcastes (Karnam, Erra, Doddi, and Pokanati) fissioned from the Puja. This phylogeny receives support from the analysis of autosomal microsatellites as well as HLA loci in the same samples. In particular, there is a significant correlation (r = 0.8569; P = 0.0097) between Y-chromosome- and autosomal STR-based distances. Am J Phys Anthropol, 2006. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

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