Abstract
The present study aimed at estimating the genetic distance and genetic identity between Barak Valley Hindus and other twenty four nations for ABO blood group gene along the route of historic journey of mankind from Africa as proposed by Stephen Oppenheimer to gain insights on the evolutionary relationship and genetic closeness of the Hindus with other nations. Barak Valley Zone, located in southern part of Assam state in North East India, has inhabited the major endogamous group, the Hindus, for several centuries. Over the last few decades, they have maintained distinct culture and life style. This study used ABO gene frequency data of these populations to estimate Nei’s standard genetic distance and genetic identity of population genetics between Barak Valley Hindus and other nations. The historic journey of mankind commenced from Africa about 200,000 years ago ( www.bradshawfoundation.com). Genetic distance estimate ranged from 0.07 to 5.18%. Barak Valley Hindus (BVH) showed relatively low genetic distance for ABO gene with the populations of Saudi Arabia (0.07%), India (0.13%), Borneo (0.40%), Russia (0.59%), Central Asia (0.60%), Siberia (0.60%), South China (0.71%) and Sri Lanka (0.93%) suggesting high genetic identity and possible evolutionary relationship of BVH during migration with these nations. But the BVH showed highest genetic distance with Australia (5.18%) followed by Norway (4.13%), Sudan (3.89%) and Sweden (3.60%) indicating low genetic identity of BVH with these nations. Migration was not the key determining factor in changing the ABO gene frequency in human populations.
Highlights
Genetic variation is central to all evolutionary change
The frequencies of O, A and B alleles of ABO blood group gene in each population were calculated from the ABO blood group distribution/phenotypic data obtained from diverse sources (Tab. 2) using the following formulae (Hedrick, 2005): A= 1- N 22 N 23 N33 N
Gene frequency The frequencies of O, A and B alleles of ABO gene of different nations/populations were estimated from the ABO blood group distribution data of each population (Tab. 2)
Summary
The study of genetic variation spans plant and animal breeding, conservation biology, human genetics and comparative genomics. Despite its fundamental importance in several areas of genetics, there has been a long period of struggle to measure genetic variation. It was a struggle because markers used to measure genetic variation, such as morphological and biochemical markers often were limited and influenced by environmental factors. These limitations impeded progress toward the understanding of genetic architecture and its influence on phenotype, including human disorders (Lewontin, 1974). Advances in population genetics, molecular genetics and bioinformatics since 1980s, our knowledge of genetic mechanisms governing the detectable phenotypes have revolutionized our ability to describe variation at all levels of genetic organization: genes, individuals, populations, species and genera
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