Population sub-structure and patterns of quantitative variation among the Gollas of Southern Andhra Pradesh, India

This is the published version, also available here: http://digitalcommons.wayne.edu/humbiol/vol73/iss2/9/.Population substructure and biological differentiation was studied among the Golla, a pastoral caste living in the southern areas of Andhra Pradesh (AP) in India, using 11 anthropometric measurements and 20 quantitative dermatoglyphic variables. The data were collected from a sample of 334 adult males drawn from 30 villages distributed in the Chittoor district of AP, who belonged to 8 endogamous subunits of the same caste. Multiple discriminant analysis of the anthropometrics suggests a highly significant degree of discrimination that is consistent with the microgeographic variations of the groups. In contrast, in different sets of dermatoglyphs discrimination is low and generally inconsistent with both the geographic and ethnohistorical affiliations of the groups. These findings are reflected in the FST value for anthropometry, which is more than double the value of dermatoglyphs. The patterns of gene flow as inferred through the regression of phenotypic variance on the distance of groups from the centroid is not generally consistent with the known backgrounds in the case of either dermatoglyphs or anthropometry. It is concluded that at the level of caste substructure representing the lowest level of population hierarchy, the quantitative variables examined here may not portray a complete picture of the historical process of subdivision. The results of this study are not in congruence with those based on another study of 13 short tandem repeat loci on the same set of populations (Reddy et al. 2001), which may provide better insights into the population structure and history of subdivision that are consistent with the known ethnohistorical backgrounds of the populations

Molecular genetic perspectives on the origin of the Lyngngam tribe of Meghalaya, India

Meghalaya, one of the Northeast Indian states, is inhabited by two major tribal clusters, Khasi and Garo. The disputed origin of the Lyngngam tribe of Meghalaya is a result of their geographic distribution, which is sandwiched between that of the above two major tribal clusters. Our earlier analysis of ethnohistoric, linguistic and demographic data suggested the neighbouring Khasi and Garo as the putative parental population(s) of Lyngngam. In this paper, we have investigated the Lyngngam, Garo and all the 7 subtribes of Khasi of Meghalaya using molecular genetic markers-autosomal, Y-chromosome and mtDNA-to explore the possible origin of the Lyngngam tribe. We obtained admixture estimates for Lyngngam versus the putative parental populations. While autosomal STRs and mtDNA results clearly suggest Khasi origin of the Lyngngam, Y-STR distances show greater proximity of Lyngngam to the Garo. Further, the comparative analysis of the Y-Chromosome and mtDNA haplogroup data on relevant Austro-Asiatic and Tibeto-Burman populations from South and Southeast Asia, published by us earlier, clearly exclude the possibility of Lyngngam origin from outside Meghalaya. The molecular genetic evidence in conjunction with the linguistic, demographic and ethno-historic information clearly suggests Khasi origin of the Lyngngam tribe

Correction: Global Patterns in Human Mitochondrial DNA and Y-Chromosome Variation Caused by Spatial Instability of the Local Cultural Processes

Because of the widespread phenomenon of patrilocality, it is hypothesized that Y-chromosome variants tend to be more localized geographically than those of mitochondrial DNA ( mtDNA). Empirical evidence confirmatory to this hypothesis was subsequently provided among certain patrilocal and matrilocal groups of Thailand, which conforms to the isolation by distance mode of gene diffusion. However, we expect intuitively that the patterns of genetic variability may not be consistent with the above hypothesis among populations with different social norms governing the institution of marriage, particularly among those that adhere to strict endogamy rules. We test the universality of this hypothesis by analyzing Y-chromosome and mtDNA data in three different sets of Indian populations that follow endogamy rules to varying degrees. Our analysis of the Indian patrilocal and the matrilocal groups is not confirmatory to the sex- specific variation observed among the tribes of Thailand. Our results indicate spatial instability of the impact of different cultural processes on the genetic variability, resulting in the lack of universality of the hypothesized pattern of greater Y-chromosome variation when compared to that of mtDNA among the patrilocal populations

Population Substructure and Patterns of Quantitative Variation among the Gollas of Southern Andhra Pradesh, India

Population substructure and biological differentiation was studied among the Golla, a pastoral caste living in the southern areas of Andhra Pradesh (AP) in India, using 11 anthropometric measurements and 20 quantitative dermatoglyphic variables. The data were collected from a sample of 334 adult males drawn from 30 villages distributed in the Chittoor district of AP, who belonged to 8 endogamous subunits of the same caste. Multiple discriminant analysis of the anthropometrics suggests a highly significant degree of discrimination that is consistent with the microgeographic variations of the groups. In contrast, in different sets of dermatoglyphs discrimination is low and generally inconsistent with both the geographic and ethnohistorical affiliations of the groups. These findings are reflected in the FST value for anthropometry, which is more than double the value of dermatoglyphs. The patterns of gene flow as inferred through the regression of phenotypic variance on the distance of groups from the centroid is not generally consistent with the known backgrounds in the case of either dermatoglyphs or anthropometry. It is concluded that at the level of caste substructure representing the lowest level of population hierarchy, the quantitative variables examined here may not portray a complete picture of the historical process of subdivision. The results of this study are not in congruence with those based on another study of 13 short tandem repeat loci on the same set of populations (Reddy et al. 2001), which may provide better insights into the population structure and history of subdivision that are consistent with the known ethnohistorical backgrounds of the populations

Y-chromosome evidence suggests a common paternal heritage of Austro-Asiatic populations

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The Austro-Asiatic linguistic family, which is considered to be the oldest of all the families in India, has a substantial presence in Southeast Asia. However, the possibility of any genetic link among the linguistic sub-families of the Indian Austro-Asiatics on the one hand and between the Indian and the Southeast Asian Austro-Asiatics on the other has not been explored till now. Therefore, to trace the origin and historic expansion of Austro-Asiatic groups of India, we analysed Y-chromosome SNP and STR data of the 1222 individuals from 25 Indian populations, covering all the three branches of Austro-Asiatic tribes, viz. Mundari, Khasi-Khmuic and Mon-Khmer, along with the previously published data on 214 relevant populations from Asia and Oceania.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Our results suggest a strong paternal genetic link, not only among the subgroups of Indian Austro-Asiatic populations but also with those of Southeast Asia. However, maternal link based on mtDNA is not evident. The results also indicate that the haplogroup O-M95 had originated in the Indian Austro-Asiatic populations ~65,000 yrs BP (95% C.I. 25,442 – 132,230) and their ancestors carried it further to Southeast Asia via the Northeast Indian corridor. Subsequently, in the process of expansion, the Mon-Khmer populations from Southeast Asia seem to have migrated and colonized Andaman and Nicobar Islands at a much later point of time.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our findings are consistent with the linguistic evidence, which suggests that the linguistic ancestors of the Austro-Asiatic populations have originated in India and then migrated to Southeast Asia.</p

Schematic Representation of Indian Population Structure Characterized by Movement of Spouses Only within but Not among the Endogamous Groups

<p>Each circle represents a population and its size represents the hierarchy. While the populations until the breeding isolates are all endogamous, the exogamous units refer to clans/lineages within a breeding isolate/population.</p

Haplotype Diversity in mtDNA (Green) and Y-STR (Pink) and Their Mean (Shaded Bar) in Five Dravidian and Five Austro-Asiatic Patrilocal and Five Austro-Asiatic Matrilocal Populations

<p>From left to right, the Dravidian patrilocal groups (mtDNA sample size and Y-STR sample size) are Akhutota (32, 21), Kapu (22,16), Panta (37, 21), Pokanati (59, 25), and Vanne (32, 23); the Austro-Asiatic matrilocal groups are Maram (72, 58), Khynriam (95, 82), Pnar (69, 40), Bhoi (34, 30), and WarKhasi (31, 23); the Austro-Asiatic patrilocal groups are Asur (30, 28), Bhumij (40, 39), Kharia (21, 13), Munda (23, 23), and Santhal (39, 38).</p