RESUMEN
The Balkan Peninsula is a complex cultural mosaic comprising populations speaking languages from several branches of the Indo-European family and Altaic, as well as culturally-defined minorities such as the Aromuns who speak a Romance language. The current cultural and linguistic landscape is a palimpsest in which different peoples have contributed their cultures in a historical succession. We have sought to find any evidence of genetic stratification related to those cultural layers by typing both mtDNA and Y chromosomes, in Albanians, Romanians, Macedonians, Greeks, and five Aromun populations. We have paid special attention to the Aromuns, and sought to test genetically various hypotheses on their origins. MtDNA and Y-chromosome haplogroup frequencies in the Balkans were found to be similar to those elsewhere in Europe. MtDNA sequences and Y-chromosome STR haplotypes revealed decreased variation in some Aromun populations. Variation within Aromun populations was the primary source of genetic differentiation. Y-chromosome haplotypes tended to be shared across Aromuns, but not across non-Aromun populations. These results point to a possible common origin of the Aromuns, with drift acting to differentiate the separate Aromun communities. The homogeneity of Balkan populations prevented testing for the origin of the Aromuns, although a significant Roman contribution can be ruled out.
Asunto(s)
Cromosomas Humanos Y , ADN Mitocondrial , Variación Genética , Lenguaje , Emigración e Inmigración , Europa Oriental , Flujo Genético , Marcadores Genéticos , Genética de Población , Humanos , Masculino , Filogenia , Polimorfismo de Nucleótido Simple , Análisis de Secuencia de ADNRESUMEN
In nine population samples from Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Hungary, Republic of Macedonia (Skopje and Aromuns from Stip region), Romania, Serbia and Slovakia 12 dermatoglyphic variables have been studied. There are distinct differences between the populations and between males and females. The Macedonian Aromuns are clearly separated from the other populations.
Asunto(s)
Dermatoglifia/clasificación , Dedos/anatomía & histología , Genética de Población , Carácter Cuantitativo Heredable , Piel/anatomía & histología , Factores Socioeconómicos , Europa (Continente) , Europa Oriental , Femenino , Variación Genética , Humanos , India/epidemiología , Masculino , Distribución por SexoRESUMEN
We have analysed 11 human-specific Alu insertion polymorphisms in the Balkans to elucidate the origins of the Aromuns, a linguistic isolate inhabiting scattered areas in the Balkan Peninsula. Four Aromun samples (two from the Republic of Macedonia, one from Albania, and one from Romania) and five neighbouring populations (Macedonians, Albanians, Romanians, Greeks, and Turks) were analysed by means of genetic distances, principal components and analyses of the molecular variance (AMOVA). Three hypotheses were tested: Aromuns are Romanophonic Greeks; the result of a Romanian southward migration; or local descendants of the Thracians. The analyses show that the Aromuns do not constitute a homogeneous group separated from the rest of the Balkan populations. Grouping by language or geography does not explain the genetic differences observed in the region, suggesting a lack of genetic structure in the area. Aromuns do not seem to be particularly related to Greeks, Romanians, or to other Romance speakers. The Aromuns might have their origin to the south of the Danube river, with extensive gene flow with the neighbouring populations. The present results suggest a common ancestry of all Balkan populations, including Aromuns, with a lack of correlation between genetic differentiation and language or ethnicity, stressing that no major migration barriers have existed in the making of the complex Balkan human puzzle.
Asunto(s)
Elementos Alu , Elementos Transponibles de ADN , Etnicidad/genética , Polimorfismo Genético , Población Blanca/genética , Análisis de Varianza , Europa Oriental , Variación Genética , Grecia , Humanos , Lenguaje , TurquíaRESUMEN
This study is part of an extensive investigation of the genetic relationship between Balkan populations, especially the Aromuns. Allele frequencies of four STRs (D21S11, FGA, TH01, VWA) from Macedonians (Skopje), Gramostian Aromuns from the Stip region (Macedonia), Moskopolian Aromuns from Krusevo (Macedonia), and Musequiar Aromuns from Dukasi (Albania) are presented.
Asunto(s)
Proteínas de Unión al ADN/genética , Frecuencia de los Genes , Variación Genética , Genética de Población , Secuencias Repetidas en Tándem/genética , Albania , Alelos , Etnicidad/genética , Humanos , República de Macedonia del NorteRESUMEN
Within a study of the genetics of Southeastern European populations seven serum protein polymorphisms (AMY2, BF, C3, CP, GC, HPA, TF) were examined in two samples of Aromuns and one reference sample (Musequiar-Aromuns from Dukasi in Albania, Moskopolian-Aromuns from Krusevo, Republic of Macedonia, and Macedonians from Skopje). The neighbor joining tree as well as the principal component analysis show results which do not correspond well to the geographic and historic background. This indicates that in the present case the serum protein polymorphisms give no clearly defined information about the relationships between the Balkan populations and to the origin of Aromuns.
Asunto(s)
Alelos , Proteínas Sanguíneas/genética , Etnicidad/genética , Frecuencia de los Genes/genética , Genética de Población , Fenotipo , Polimorfismo Genético/genética , Albania , Grecia , Humanos , Modelos Genéticos , República de Macedonia del Norte , Programas Informáticos , Estadística como AsuntoRESUMEN
The Aromuns represent a small and almost unknown people that live scattered over the Balkan Peninsula. Due to their language, that is very similar to classical Latin, they are in a special position. The Aromuns settled only in more recent times. Until now they lived as shepherds, as caravan guides and merchants and lead a semi-nomadic life. We are currently carrying out studies to determine the genetic structure of this population. To facilitate the interpretation of these data, we are also trying to obtain other important parameters that pertain to migration processes and the genealogical structure of this populations. The data arise from three areas in Albania, the Republic of Macedonia and Romania. The inbreeding coefficient and the proportion of repeated pairs of surnames was calculated through the use of genealogies and the isonymy method. The difference between these three populations are due primarily to confounding by selection of mates and family composition.
Asunto(s)
Etnicidad/genética , Endogamia , Nombres , Albania , Genética de Población , Humanos , Dinámica Poblacional , República de Macedonia del Norte , RumaníaRESUMEN
Within a study of the genetics of Southeastern European populations seven serum protein polymorphisms (AMY2, BF, C3, CP, GC, HPA, TF) were examined in three samples of Aromuns (Albania: the village of Andon Poci, province Gjirocaster, Republic of Macedonia: Stip region, Romania: the village Kogalniceanu, province Dobruja) and four reference samples (Albanians: Tirana, Romanians: Constanta and Ploiesti as well as Greeks (Northeastern Greece)). The Aromun samples from Albania and Romania form one separate cluster and the reference samples together with the Aromuns from Macedonia (Stip region) form a second one.
Asunto(s)
Proteínas Sanguíneas/genética , Etnicidad/genética , Genética de Población , Albania , Frecuencia de los Genes , Grecia , Humanos , Fenotipo , Polimorfismo Genético/genética , República de Macedonia del Norte , RumaníaRESUMEN
Within a study of the genetics of Southeastern European populations four DNA-STR-systems (D21S11, FGA, TH01, VWA) were examined in seven samples (samples of three Aromuns and four other Balkan populations). The results have been compared to data from four samples from literature (Austrians, Germans, Hungarians, Slovenians). The results show three clusters: a) the Aromuns from Albania (Andon Poci) and Macedonia (Stip region), b) the Romanian Aromuns (Kogalniceanu), Romanians (Constanta, Ploiesti) and Albanians (Tirana) und c) the data from literature. A sample of Northeastern Greece clearly differs from these three clusters. Including seven serum protein polymorphisms (without the populations from literature) results in two clusters: a) the three Aromun populations and b) Albanians and Romanians. Again the sample of Northeastern Greece clearly differs from these clusters.