BACKGROUND:
Previous investigations of
French Guiana Amerindians performed by this group included
blood group and
protein genetic markers,
mitochondrial DNA and Y-
chromosome investigations. Molecular autosomal data and more extensive Y-
chromosome determinations were lacking. SUBJECTS AND
METHODS:
The genetic variability of 15 autosome (ASTRs) and 17 Y-
chromosome (YSTRs)
microsatellite loci was studied in four
French Guiana (Emerillon, Palikur, Wayampi, Kali'na) and one Brazilian (Apalai) Amerindian
populations. A sixth group, the Peruvian Matsiguenga of the Maipurean
linguistic family, was included in the
data analysis since they could provide information about the past migration of people from that
linguistic stock into northeastern Amazonia.
RESULTS:
Marked ASTR and YSTR variability was found, with 96% of the YSTR
haplotypes being found in one
population only. There was excellent agreement between the present and previous autosomal or uniparental results.
Multidimensional scaling based on F(ST) genetic distances and
population structure
analysis revealed heterogeneity in
gene distribution, with a clear difference between the Matsiguenga and Emerillon and the other groups. In the latter, Wilcoxon sign-rank test between observed and expected heterozygosity and the mode of
allele frequency distribution revealed clues of a significant past genetic bottleneck. The Wayampi stand genetically closer to the Apalai, Palikur and Kali'na when examined for the autosome but not the Y-
chromosome panel of markers, suggesting preferential
female gene flow.
CONCLUSION:
The new data provided additional important information about the
biological history of people from a remote South American region, indicating how
gene diversity analyses can be used to increase
understanding of
human microevolutionary processes.
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