Evaluation of the genetic parameters for 10 common and five new ESS core autosomal STR loci in seven major geographic regions and the largest metropolitan province of Turkey

<p><b>Background:</b> Situated at the crossroads of Asia, Middle East and Europe, Turkey has an ethnically diverse population of over 78 milllion people.</p> <p><b>Aim:</b> To investigate the population genetics and potential differences in the autosomal short tandem repeat (STR) polymorphisms across all the major geographic regions and largest metropolitan province of Turkey within the context of the Near Eastern/European genetic landscape.</p> <p><b>Subjects and methods:</b> Samples from a total of 5299 unrelated individuals were analysed at 10 common [D2S1338, D3S1358, D8S1179, D16S539, D18S51, D19S433, D21S11, FGA, TH01, vWA] and five new European Standard Set (ESS) core autosomal STR loci [D1S1656, D2S441, D10S1248, D12S391, D22S1045].</p> <p><b>Results:</b> Allele frequencies, statistical parameters of forensic interest and population differentiation tests were calculated for nine population datasets corresponding to the seven major geographic regions, the largest metropolitan province, and a combined dataset for the entire country. Cumulative results confirmed the presence of significant differences among these nine autosomal datasets themselves and with those from the nearby populations, therefore justifying the differential use of these separate datasets on a case-by-case basis in forensic investigations.</p> <p><b>Conclusion:</b> This collection of autosomal STR population datasets comprises the largest and most comprehensive of its kind from Turkey so far.</p

Turkish Cypriot paternal lineages bear an autochthonous character and closest resemblance to those from neighbouring Near Eastern populations

<p><b>Background:</b> Cyprus is an island in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea with a documented history of human settlements dating back over 10,000 years.</p> <p><b>Aim:</b> To investigate the paternal lineages of a representative population from Cyprus in the context of the larger Near Eastern/Southeastern European genetic landscape.</p> <p><b>Subjects and methods:</b> Three hundred and eighty samples from the second most populous ethnic group in Cyprus (Turkish Cypriots) were analysed at 17 Y-chromosomal short tandem repeat (Y-STR) loci.</p> <p><b>Results:</b> A haplotype diversity of 0.9991 was observed, along with a number of allelic variants, multi-allelic patterns and a most frequent haplotype that have not previously been reported elsewhere. Pairwise genetic distance comparisons of the Turkish Cypriot Y-STR dataset and Y-chromosomal haplogroup distribution with those from Near East/Southeastern Europe both suggested a closer genetic connection with the Near Eastern populations. Median-joining network analyses of the most frequent haplogroups also revealed some evidence towards <i>in situ</i> radiation.</p> <p><b>Conclusion:</b> Turkish Cypriot paternal lineages seem to bear an autochthonous character and closest genetic connection with the neighbouring Near Eastern populations. These observations are further underscored by the fact that the haplogroups associated with the spread of Neolithic Agricultural Revolution from the Fertile Crescent (E1b1b/J1/J2/G2a) dominate (>70%) the Turkish Cypriot haplogroup distribution.</p