Arundhati Sharma

Microsatellite Variation at 24 STR Loci in Three Endogamous Groups of Uttar Pradesh, India

We have studied variation at 24 microsatellite markers among 50 individuals from each of three endogamous groups, Bhargavas, Chaturvedis, and non-Bhargava, non-Chaturvedi Brahmins of Uttar Pradesh, India. The number of alleles at the loci tested varied from 4 to 11, with an average of 6 at each locus. Heterozygosity was found to be quite high at all loci in the three subpopulations. It varied between 0.44 to 0.84 among Bhargavas (average 0.6510), 0.44 to 0.80 among Chaturvedis(average 0.6633±), and 0.42 to 0.85 among Brahmins (average 6.694±). Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium analysis revealed that these populations are under genetic equilibrium at almost all the loci tested. Comparisons of allele frequency between Bhargavasand Chaturvedis showed that they differed significantly at 14 short tandem repeat (STR) markers (p < 0.001), while Chaturvedis and Brahmins differed at 6 (p < 0.05) and Brahmins and Bhargavas at 8 (p < 0.05). Average FIS and FST for the 24 STR markers was -0.02 and 0.013, respectively. We used both unweighted pair group with arithmetic mean and principal components analysis to evaluate genetic distances among the three groups. Our results revealed that although there were differences at particular allele frequencies between Bhargavas vs. Brahmins, Bhargavas vs. Chaturvedis, and Brahmins vs. Chaturvedis, these differences were not statistically significant when combined over all 24 STR markers between Chaturvedis vs. Brahmins and Bhargavas vs. Brahmins. The genetic distance analysis revealed that Bhargavas are slightly apart from the other two populations.

Distribution of HLA Class II Antigens in Three North Indian Populations

Abstract The distribution of HLA-DRB1 alleles and DQB1 alleles in 583 individuals of three different caste groups of North India was analyzed by using the polymerase chain reaction with sequence specific oligonucleotide probes (SSOP) method. The populations selected were Bhargavas, Chaturvedi and Brahmins. The gene frequency and haplotype analysis revealed that these populations are distinct from one another. The phylogenetic analysis shows that there is a evolutionary relationship among the three groups. Bhargavas and Chaturvedis emerged from a common ancestral population (presumably the original Brahmanical priest population). Chaturvedis diverged first from the original group and at a later date Bhargavas and Brahmins separated from one another.

DNA short tandem repeat profiling of three North Indian populations.

POPULATION Fifty healthy unrelated individuals were randomly chosen from each of the three populations viz., Bhargavas, Chaturvedies, and Brahmins. Three generation pedigree charts were prepared to ensure sirname endogamy in Bhargavas Chaturvedies and group endogamy in Brahmins subjects were chosen from several parts of Uttar Pradesh, a northern state of the Indian republic.