Population genetic comparisons among eight populations using allele frequency and sequence data from three microsatellite loci.

Eight different population samples (Moroccans, Ovambos, Papuans, Australian aborigines, Germans, Turks, Japanese and Chinese) were studied using the tetranucleotide short tandem repeat systems HumTHO1 (THO1), Hum VWFA31 (VWA) and HumACTBP2 (ACTBP2). Ten alleles were differentiated in THO1, 11 alleles in VWA and 28 alleles in ACTBP2. THO1 showed 1 bp deletions in the repeat region, VWA sequence and structure variations of the 4-bp repeat motif and ACTBP2 sequence, structure and length variations in the repeat array and deletions/insertions (1-6 bp) in the flanking regions. A phylogenetic tree was constructed (UPGMA method) leading to branches which grouped Germans and Turks, Japanese and Chinese, and Papuans and Australian aborigines.