Genome-wide analysis of unrecognised ethnic group Chuanqing people revealing a close affinity with Southern Han Chinese

Abstract

Background Chuanqing is an unrecognised ethnic group in Guizhou, southwest China. The genetic history of the Chuanqing people is hotly debated due to a lack of available genetic data. Aim To infer the genetic structure and population history of the Chuanqing people and genetic relationships of the Chuanqing with other East Asians. Subjects and methods We collected samples from 14 Chuanqing individuals from Guizhou and genotyped about 690,000 genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). We used Principal Component Analysis (PCA), ADMIXTURE analysis, and f statistics to infer the population genetic structure and admixture. Results Chuanqing people show a distinct genetic profile from indigenous Tai-Kadai and Tibeto-Burman speaking populations in southwest China, but they are genetically similar to southern Han Chinese, Miao, She and Tujia populations. The Han Chinese characteristic Y chromosomal lineages reach high frequencies in the Chuanqing. Conclusions The genetic formation of the Chuanqing people has been greatly influenced by Han Chinese related populations.