Polymorphism at fifteen hypervariable microsatellite loci in four populations of Maharashtra, India.

Polymorphism at 15 microsatellite loci was studied in four predominant, endogamous populations of Maharashtra state in India. The studied population included Marathas, Desasth Brahmins, Chitpavan Brahmins and Dhangars; all of whom belong to Marathi speaking linguistic group of India. The distribution of the allele pattern at 13 tetranucleotide repeat and two pentanucleotide repeat of Powerplex 16 System portrays that these markers are highly polymorphic and thus, informative in human identification and understanding diversity in the addressed populations.