Aim: To define the Y-chromosome genetic structure in a sample of men from southern Croatia.
Methods: Blood samples were collected from 166 unrelated healthy men from southern Croatia at the Department of Forensic Medicine and Biochemical Laboratory of University Hospital Split between 2004 and 2007. Genomic DNA was extracted using the standard procedures. Seventeen Y-chromosome short tandem repeat (Y-STR) polymorphic loci (DYS456, DYS389I, DYS390, DYS389II, DYS458, DYS19, DYS385, DYS393, DYS391, DYS439, DYS635, DYS392, GATAH4, DYS437, DYS438, and DYS448) were analyzed using AmpFlSTR Yfiler Polymerase Chain Reaction Amplification Kit.
Results: We observed 152 different haplotypes. Total haplotype diversity was 0.997289 and 141 haplotypes (84.49%) were unique. The most common haplotype was shared by only 4 men in the study sample. The locus diversity ranged between 0.21292 for DYS392 and 0.75546 for DYS439 locus.
Conclusion: The Y-chromosome structure in men from southern Croatia is very diverse. Combination of Y chromosome 17 STR loci may be used as a powerful tool for individual identification and parentage analysis in the southern Croatian male population.