Molecular genetic survey and forensic characterization of Chinese Mongolians via the 47 autosomal insertion/deletion marker.

The Mongolians are mainly distributed in the modern state of Mongolia, China, Russia, and other countries. While the historic and archaeological records of the rise and fall of the Mongol Empire are well documented, little has been known about the genetic legacy of modern Mongolian populations. Here, 611 Mongolian individuals from Hohhot, Hulunbuir, and Ordos of China were genotyped via the 47 Insertion/Deletion markers. Forensically statistical parameters indicated that this InDel system could be applied to forensic investigation in Mongolian populations. The comprehensive population comparisons indicated that targeted Mongolian populations are a homogeneous population, which kept close genetic proximity with geographically northern East Asians. The findings of the model-based clustering analysis revealed a southern East Asian-specific ancestral component, which was maximized in Hainan Li, and Mongolian populations harbored relatively less Hainan Li-related ancestry and more northern East Asian-related ancestry compared with reference Tai-Kadai, Austroasiatic and Sinitic people.