ABSTRACT
The study considers data on 15 STR-loci from paternity cases across Belarus districts from 2004 to the beginning of 2006 (set #1, 580 individuals) and since that to the beginning of 2007 (set #2, 530 individuals); the data majorly consist of ethnic Belarusians. No significant difference was found between the sets, as well as between the country districts in which the cases occurred. The allele frequencies obtained are very similar to those based on population survey at common loci. Therefore, a data base can be constructed of data from wide survey on paternity cases. Pooling the sets together provides a reference data base on the Belarus population. Additionally, we compared the allele profiles to those in other Slavic groups from the former USSR: Russians from Moscow and eastern Ukrainians from Kharkov city.
Subject(s)
Databases, Genetic , Gene Frequency , Genetics, Population , Microsatellite Repeats/genetics , Paternity , Alleles , DNA/analysis , DNA/genetics , DNA/isolation & purification , Genetic Linkage , Geography , Humans , Nucleic Acid Amplification Techniques , Polymerase Chain Reaction , Polymorphism, Genetic , Reproducibility of Results , Republic of BelarusABSTRACT
This work develops a detailed STR database from 11 population samples and samples from paternity analyses from different districts of Belarus. The combined data on 2020 individuals form a total database for the country, with the exclusion power of 99.987% based on 11 STR loci. Possible differentiation in allele frequencies between population samples, small in terms of F-statistics and undetectable by standard statistical tests, is discussed.
Subject(s)
Databases, Nucleic Acid , Gene Frequency , Genetic Variation , Microsatellite Repeats , Female , Forensic Sciences/instrumentation , Genetic Heterogeneity , Humans , Male , Republic of BelarusABSTRACT
Cases of thyroid cancer among children in Belarus represent a unique model system in which the cause of the cancer is known--radiation. Although other sources of radiation-induced cancers are diminishing (survivors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and individuals exposed to diagnostic or therapeutic radiation) fears of radiation exposure from accidents and terrorism are increasing. Our analysis of current data reveals that Chernobyl-related cancer cases might have a specific pattern of genetic aberrations. These data strongly confirm the hypothesis that radiation-induced cancers might arise as a result of specific gene aberrations that are distinct from those in sporadic cancers, suggesting that methods of prevention and treatment of radiation-induced cancers might require a different approach. Understanding of the molecular mechanisms of Chernobyl-related papillary thyroid carcinomas will help to identify mechanisms by which radiation causes aberrations and oncogenic cell transformation. Thus, in turn, it will be important in the development of new treatments or technologies to minimize the effects of radiation damage from nuclear accidents or nuclear attacks.
