Signs of continental ancestry in urban populations of Peru through autosomal STR loci and mitochondrial DNA typing

PLoS One. 2018 Jul 18;13(7):e0200796. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0200796. eCollection 2018.

Abstract

The human genetic diversity around the world was studied through several high variable genetic markers. In South America the demic consequences of admixture events between Native people, European colonists and African slaves have been displayed by uniparental markers variability. The mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) has been the most widely used genetic marker for studying American mixed populations, although nuclear markers, such as microsatellite loci (STRs) commonly used in forensic science, showed to be genetically and geographically structured. In this work, we analyzed DNA from buccal swab samples of 296 individuals across Peru: 156 Native Amazons (Ashaninka, Cashibo and Shipibo from Ucayali, Huambiza from Loreto and Moche from Lambayeque) and 140 urban Peruvians from Lima and other 33 urban areas. The aim was to evaluate, through STRs and mtDNA variability, recent migrations in urban Peruvian populations and to gain more information about their continental ancestry. STR data highlighted that most individuals (67%) of the urban Peruvian sample have a strong similarity to the Amazon Native population, whereas 22% have similarity to African populations and only ~1% to European populations. Also the maternally-transmitted mtDNA confirmed the strong Native contribution (~90% of Native American haplogroups) and the lower frequencies of African (~6%) and European (~3%) haplogroups. This study provides a detailed description of the urban Peruvian genetic structure and proposes forensic STRs as a useful tool for studying recent migrations, especially when coupled with mtDNA.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • CRISPR-Cas Systems
  • DNA Fingerprinting / methods*
  • DNA, Mitochondrial / genetics*
  • Genetic Variation / genetics
  • Genetic Variation / physiology
  • Genetics, Population / methods
  • Haplotypes / genetics
  • Haplotypes / physiology
  • HeLa Cells
  • Hep G2 Cells
  • Humans
  • Mice
  • Peru
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / genetics
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / metabolism
  • RNA Interference
  • Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases / genetics
  • TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases / metabolism
  • Urban Population

Substances

  • DNA, Mitochondrial
  • EIF2AK4 protein, human
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases
  • TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases

Grants and funding

This work was supported by grants of the Italian Ministry of Justice (grant number CUP E81J10001270005) to C.J., P.M. and B.M.C. F.M. was supported by a fellowship from the Italian Ministry of Justice. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.