A reference data base on STR allele frequencies in the Belarus population developed from paternity cases.

The study considers data on 15 STR-loci from paternity cases across Belarus districts from 2004 to the beginning of 2006 (set #1, 580 individuals) and since that to the beginning of 2007 (set #2, 530 individuals); the data majorly consist of ethnic Belarusians. No significant difference was found between the sets, as well as between the country districts in which the cases occurred. The allele frequencies obtained are very similar to those based on population survey at common loci. Therefore, a data base can be constructed of data from wide survey on paternity cases. Pooling the sets together provides a reference data base on the Belarus population. Additionally, we compared the allele profiles to those in other Slavic groups from the former USSR: Russians from Moscow and eastern Ukrainians from Kharkov city.