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Mitochondrial DNA and Y-Chromosome Variation in the Caucasus

  1. I. Nasidze1,*,
  2. E. Y. S. Ling1,2,
  3. D. Quinque1,
  4. I. Dupanloup3,
  5. R. Cordaux1,
  6. S. Rychkov4,
  7. O. Naumova4,
  8. O. Zhukova4,
  9. N. Sarraf-Zadegan5,
  10. G. A. Naderi5,
  11. S. Asgary5,
  12. S. Sardas6,
  13. D. D. Farhud7,
  14. T. Sarkisian8,
  15. C. Asadov9,
  16. A. Kerimov9,
  17. M. Stoneking1

Article first published online: 30 APR 2004

DOI: 10.1046/j.1529-8817.2004.00092.x

Issue

Annals of Human Genetics

Annals of Human Genetics

Volume 68, Issue 3, pages 205–221, May 2004

Additional Information

How to Cite

Nasidze, I., Ling, E. Y. S., Quinque, D., Dupanloup, I., Cordaux, R., Rychkov, S., Naumova, O., Zhukova, O., Sarraf-Zadegan, N., Naderi, G. A., Asgary, S., Sardas, S., Farhud, D. D., Sarkisian, T., Asadov, C., Kerimov, A. and Stoneking, M. (2004), Mitochondrial DNA and Y-Chromosome Variation in the Caucasus. Annals of Human Genetics, 68: 205–221. doi: 10.1046/j.1529-8817.2004.00092.x

Author Information

  1. 1

    Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, Leipzig, D-04103, Germany

  2. 2

    Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3PS, UK (current address: The Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford OX3 7BN, UK)

  3. 3

    Ferrara University, Department of Biology, Via L.Borsari 46, 44100, Ferrara, Italy

  4. 4

    Vavilov Institute of General Genetics, Gubkin str.3, 119991, Moscow, Russia

  5. 5

    Isfahan Cardiovascular Research Center, Isfahan, Iran

  6. 6

    Gazi University, Toxicology Department 06330, Ankara, Turkey

  7. 7

    Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Department of Human Genetics, Tehran, P.O. Box 14155-6446, Iran

  8. 8

    Center of Medical Genetics, National Academy of Sciences of Republic of Armenia, 5/1 Zakyan Str., 375010, Yerevan, Armenia

  9. 9

    Scientific-Research Institute of Hematology and Transfusiology, Azerbaijan Republic Ministry of Health, Gashgay Str. 87, Baku, Azerbaijan

* *Correspondence: Dr. Ivan Nasidze, Phone: (49) 341 3550505. Fax: (49) 341 3550555, e-mail: nasidze@eva.mpg.de

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 2 JUN 2004
  2. Article first published online: 30 APR 2004
  3. Received: 16 June 2003 Accepted: 9 January 2004

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Keywords:

  • Y chromosome;
  • mtDNA;
  • Caucasus

Summary

We have analyzed mtDNA HVI sequences and Y chromosome haplogroups based on 11 binary markers in 371 individuals, from 11 populations in the Caucasus and the neighbouring countries of Turkey and Iran. Y chromosome haplogroup diversity in the Caucasus was almost as high as in Central Asia and the Near East, and significantly higher than in Europe. More than 27% of the variance in Y-haplogroups can be attributed to differences between populations, whereas mtDNA showed much lower heterogeneity between populations (less then 5%), suggesting a strong influence of patrilocal social structure. Several groups from the highland region of the Caucasus exhibited low diversity and high differentiation for either or both genetic systems, reflecting enhanced genetic drift in these small, isolated populations. Overall, the Caucasus groups showed greater similarity with West Asian than with European groups for both genetic systems, although this similarity was much more pronounced for the Y chromosome than for mtDNA, suggesting that male-mediated migrations from West Asia have influenced the genetic structure of Caucasus populations.

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