Analysis of allele frequencies of 15 STR loci in a large population dataset from Ukraine at the regional level

Abstract

ABSTRACT We aimed to improve the reference allele frequency database for Ukraine and to investigate whether any population genetic structure can be detected at the local regional level. The AmpFlSTR®Identifiler®Plus kit was used to genotype 4035 unrelated individuals from 24 administrative regions (oblast) and 6 major cities in Ukraine. All STR markers except one were in Hardy–Weinberg Equilibrium in the entire dataset, except for aslight excess of heterozygotes at TPOX locus (p = 0.01). Subsequent statistical tests for the presence of local structure among the 30 subpopulations were not significant. Comparisons of allele frequencies with an earlier study from Ukraine did not reveal any significant difference. The estimates of several forensic genetic indices (PE, PD, PIC) are improved on much larger data compared to an earlier study and the ordered list of the most informative loci is given separately for each region. The 15 investigated STR loci are highly polymorphic at the individual level, but at the same time do not capture population differences at the regional level.