DNA tests probe the genomic ancestry of Brazilians
Braz. j. med. biol. res
;
42(10): 870-876, Oct. 2009. ilus, tab
Article
in English
| LILACS
| ID: lil-526199
ABSTRACT
We review studies from our laboratories using different molecular tools to characterize the ancestry of Brazilians in reference to their Amerindian, European and African roots. Initially we used uniparental DNA markers to investigate the contribution of distinct Y chromosome and mitochondrial DNA lineages to present-day populations. High levels of genetic admixture and strong directional mating between European males and Amerindian and African females were unraveled. We next analyzed different types of biparental autosomal polymorphisms. Especially useful was a set of 40 insertion-deletion polymorphisms (indels) that when studied worldwide proved exquisitely sensitive in discriminating between Amerindians, Europeans and Sub-Saharan Africans. When applied to the study of Brazilians these markers confirmed extensive genomic admixture, but also demonstrated a strong imprint of the massive European immigration wave in the 19th and 20th centuries. The high individual ancestral variability observed suggests that each Brazilian has a singular proportion of Amerindian, European and African ancestries in his mosaic genome. In Brazil, one cannot predict the color of persons from their genomic ancestry nor the opposite. Brazilians should be assessed on a personal basis, as 190 million human beings, and not as members of color groups.
Full text:
Available
Index:
LILACS (Americas)
Main subject:
Genetic Variation
/
Genome, Human
Limits:
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
Country/Region as subject:
South America
/
Brazil
Language:
English
Journal:
Braz. j. med. biol. res
Journal subject:
Biology
/
Medicine
Year:
2009
Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Brazil
Institution/Affiliation country:
GENE, Núcleo de Genética Médica/BR
/
Hospital das Clínicas/BR
/
Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais/BR
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