GENE POOLS OF UDMURTS AND BESERMYANS IN THE CONTEXT OF FINNO-UGRIC AND OTHER NEIGHBORING ETHNIC GROUPS: THE GENOME-WIDE AND PHARMACOGENETIC DATA

Abstract

The indigenous populations of Udmurtia (five populations of Udmurts and Besermyans) have been studied for the first time by the genome-wide array. The populations were studied in the context of all Finno-Ugric and other surrounding ethnic groups. The total analyzed dataset included 728 individual genomes from 76 populations. The ADMIXTURE analysis of ancestral components identified the specific “Udmurt” component comprising nearby 100 % of genomes of all studied Udmurt individuals and the lion’s share of genomes of the studied Besermyans. The second component in Besermyan was the “White Sea” one predominating in Komi Zyryans and northernmost populations of ethnic Russians. The three independent methods - ADMIXTURE, F, and PCA - demonstrated that Udmurts and Besermyans are genetically closest to Komi-Permyaks, followed by Mari, Chuvash, Bashkirs, and Volga Tatars. We also characterized the pharmacogenetic status of Udmurtia population by estimating frequencies of 45 pharmacogenetic markers. The cartographic analysis revealed that genetic markers used in pharmacogenetic recommendations were observed in Besermyan and Udmurt populations at frequencies close to the frequencies in indigenous groups from Volga-Ural region but not from the more remote regions. Thus, within the revealed area of genetic similarity the same pharmacogenetic protocols can be applied. Here we publish the maps of distribution of the “Udmurt” ancestral components in the area of European Russia and Ural. The maps can be used by scholars in humanitarian fields in their own studies to trace genetically the interactions of Udmurts and Besermyans with other ethnic groups.