Abstract
Crown and root traits, like those in the Arizona State University Dental Anthropology System (ASUDAS), are seemingly useful as genetic proxies. However, recent studies report mixed results concerning their heritability, and ability to assess variation to the level of genomic data. The aim is to test further if such traits can approximate genetic relatedness, among continental and global samples. First, for 12 African populations, Mantel correlations were calculated between mean measure of divergence (MMD) distances from up to 36 ASUDAS traits, and FST distances from >350,000 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) among matched dental and genetic samples. Second, among 32 global samples, MMD and FST distances were again compared. Correlations were also calculated between them and inter-sample geographic distances to further evaluate correspondence. A close ASUDAS/SNP association, based on MMD and F ST correlations, is evident, with r m -values between .72 globally and .84 in Africa. The same is true concerning their association with geographic distances, from .68 for a 36-trait African MMD to .77 for F ST globally; one exception is F ST and African geographic distances, r m = 0.49. Partial MMD/F ST correlations controlling for geographic distances are strong for Africa (.78) and moderate globally (.4). Relative to prior studies, MMD/F ST correlations imply greater dental and genetic correspondence; for studies allowing direct comparison, the present correlations are markedly stronger. The implication is that ASUDAS traits are reliable proxies for genetic data-a positive conclusion, meaning they can be used with or instead of genomic markers when the latter are unavailable.
Highlights
Nonmetric traits of the human permanent dentition, as in those from the Arizona State University Dental Anthropology System (ASUDAS), have a significant genetic component in expression
Given the large dataset and familiarity of JDI with the postPleistocene peopling of Africa, the latter was the clear choice for continental-level analyses; dental and genetic samples of three North and nine sub-Saharan African populations were compared
The present study is the most comprehensive to date comparing dental nonmetric traits and neutral genomic markers, in terms of the amount of data and number of samples at continental and global levels. The correspondence of these datasets based on comparison of mean measure of divergence (MMD) and Hudson FST distance matrix (FST) distance matrices is greater in than any prior studies, likely because of the data and samples, as well as the methods used
Summary
Nonmetric traits of the human permanent dentition, as in those from the Arizona State University Dental Anthropology System (ASUDAS), have a significant genetic component in expression At least this was suggested in earlier research (e.g., Sofaer, Niswander, MacLean, & Workman, 1972; Scott, 1973; Brewer-Carias, Le Blanc, & Neel, 1976; Scott, Yap Potter, Noss, Dahlberg, & Dahlberg, 1983; Turner II, 1985a; Sofaer, Smith, & Kaye, 1986; Scott & Turner II, 1988, 1997; Turner II, Nichol, & Scott, 1991; Pinkerton, Townsend, Richards, Schwerdt, & Dempsey, 1999; Rightmire, 1999; see Harris, 1977). It goes without saying that non-ASUDAS traits are used in dental research (e.g., Bailey & Hublin, 2013; Martinón-Torres et al, 2007); because few have been universally accepted or formally tested (below), such traits are not considered further
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