RESUMO
RAPD markers were used to measure the genetic diversity of 119 individuals of Ixodes ricinus collected from Lithuania and Norway. The samples were analysed within and also between the populations. We analysed 74 loci in each of 6 populations. Our results show high levels of diversity within the populations. The percentage of polymorphic loci of the six analysed populations: Birzai, Vilnius, Kretinga, Tjore, Kjosvik and Odderoya were 68.9%, 58.1%, 78.38%, 62.2%, 44.6% and 68.9%, respectively. The percentage of polymorphic loci in the Lithuanian populations was 93.2%, and in the Norwegian populations 81.08%. The genetic distance ranged from 0.019 to 0.079 within Norwegian populations and from 0.005 to 0.0967 within Lithuanian populations and between the countries from 0.022 to 0.146. The genetic variation of I. ricinus among Norwegian populations was lower than among Lithuanian populations. The highest part of genetic variation in I. ricinus ticks depends on variation within Kretinga (Lithuania) and Odderoya (Norway) populations situated in coastal areas where many migratory and sea birds are aggregated.
Assuntos
Ixodes/genética , Animais , DNA/química , DNA/genética , Impressões Digitais de DNA/métodos , Variação Genética , Lituânia , Noruega , Filogenia , Polimorfismo Genético , Técnica de Amplificação ao Acaso de DNA Polimórfico/métodosRESUMO
Archaeological findings and historical records indicate frequent migrations and exchange of genetic material between populations in the Baltic Sea area. However, there have so far been very few attempts to trace migrations in this area using genetic markers. We have studied the Baltic populations with respect to exceptional variations in the frequencies of the Landsteiner-Wiener (LW) blood group. The frequency of the uncommon LWb gene was high in the Balts, around 6% among Latvians and Lithuanians, very low among the other western Europeans (0-0.1%) and apparently absent in Asiatic and African populations. From the Baltic region of peak frequency there was a regular decline of LWb incidence (a descending cline) in the neighboring populations: 4.0% in the Estonians, 2.9% in the Finns, 2. 2% in the Vologda Russians, and 2.0% in the Poles. Thus the distribution of LWb suggests considerable and extensive Baltic admixture, especially in the north and northeast direction. In Southern Sweden with an LWb frequency of 0.3%, the Baltic influence appeared slight, while in the population of the Swedish island Gotland in the middle of the Baltic Sea there was a significantly increased LWb frequency of 1.0% compared with that of Western European countries. The distinction of codominantly inherited LW antigenic forms, LWa and LWb (previously Nea), is known to be due to a single base substitution. Based on our population data, it is plausible that the expansion of this point mutation occurred only once during human history. Furthermore, our data indicate that the expansion of the LWb mutation occurred in Balts and that LWb can be considered a 'Baltic tribal marker', its presence in other populations being an indicator of the degree of Baltic genetic influence.
Assuntos
Antígenos de Grupos Sanguíneos/genética , Moléculas de Adesão Celular/genética , Emigração e Imigração , Marcadores Genéticos , Alelos , Países Bálticos , Europa (Continente) , Frequência do Gene , Genética Populacional , Humanos , TempoRESUMO
Lithuanian patients with visual problems were clinically examined for retinitis pigmentosa (RP). A total of 33 unrelated families with autosomal dominant RP (adRP) were identified. Screening for mutations in the rhodopsin (RHO) and peripherin/RDS (RDS) genes was performed using DNA heteroduplex analysis. Direct DNA sequencing in the cases of heteroduplex formation showed the presence of the following mutations and polymorphisms in 14 adRP patients: RHO gene - Lys248Arg (1 case), and Pro347Leu (2 cases); RDS gene - Glu304Gln (12 cases), Lys310Arg (5 cases), and Gly338Asp (12 cases). The presence of these mutations (except Lys248Arg in the RHO gene) was confirmed by relevant restriction enzyme digestion. The frequency of the RDS gene mutations Glu304Gln and Gly338Asp was estimated to be 36.4%, while mutation Lys310Arg was less frequent (15.2%). These 3 RDS gene mutations appear to be polypeptide polymorphisms not related to adRP.
Assuntos
Proteínas de Filamentos Intermediários/genética , Glicoproteínas de Membrana , Proteínas do Tecido Nervoso/genética , Retinose Pigmentar/genética , Rodopsina/genética , Éxons , Genes Dominantes , Análise Heteroduplex , Humanos , Lituânia , Mutação , Periferinas , Fenótipo , Polimorfismo Genético , Análise de Sequência de DNARESUMO
Transferrin (TF) types were examined by isoelectric focusing in an attempt to elucidate migrations and admixture between populations in the Baltic Sea region. A highly significant heterogeneity between populations was found with respect to TF*C subtypes as well as the rare TF variants B2, B0-1 and DCHI. With the exception for Estonia, increased frequencies of the TF*C3 allele were observed east of the Baltic Sea. The island of Gotland in the middle of the Baltic Sea also showed a high TF*C3 frequency indicating an eastern influence. The TF*DCHI allele, a marker of eastern (Finno-Ugric) influence, was found in Finland and Estonia and on the island of Gotland, but not in mainland Sweden and in the Baltic peoples (Latvians and Lithuanians). These results indicate the presence of a Finno-Ugric, most likely Estonian or Livonian, genetic influence in the Gotland population.
