© Kamla-Raj 2001                                                                       Int J Hum Genet, 1(4): 255-262 (2001)

Gene Diversity at three tetrameric STR loci among eight ethnic populations of West Bengal and Manipur, India

P. Chattopadhyay*,  V.K. Kashyap* and T.S. Vasulu**

*DNA Typing Unit, Central Forensic Science laboratory, Kolkata,

West Bengal, India

**AHGU, Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata,West Bengal, India

Key words 3 STR Loci: HUM HPRTB, HUM F13B and HUM LPL; Caucasoid and Mongoloid populations; Heterozygosity

ABSTRACT The nature and extent of genetic variation at 3 STR loci (HUM HPRTB, F13Band LPL) were investigated among 8 population groups of West Bengal and Manipur regions of India. Of which, two groups from West Bengal belong to Caucasoid and six (one in WB and five in Manipur) belong to Mongoloid stock. Mongoloid shows similarities in some alleles and differences in some other alleles in STR loci. For example, Manipur Muslims show differences in STR allele frequency when compared to other four regional populations. Similarly Garo, one of the Mongoloid populations of West Bengal differ in allele frequency from their counterparts in Manipur region.  Heterozygosity values are higher for Caucasoid than Mongoloid group. The overall gene differentiation for STR loci is 5.3%. The clustering pattern for the eight populations shows distinct clusters for Caucasoid and Mongoloid group, whereas Manipur Muslims stand apart from others.  The genetic affinities based on DNA markers do not completely disagree with the results obtained from classical genetic markers.

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