The Paternal Landscape along the Bight of Benin – Testing Regional Representativeness of West-African Population Samples Using Y-Chromosomal Markers

摘要: Patterns of genetic variation in human populations across the African continent are still not well studied comparison with Eurasia and America, despite high cultural diversity among populations. In population forensic studies a single sample is often used to represent complete region. such scenario, inappropriate sampling strategies and/or use local, isolated may bias interpretations pose questions representativeness at macrogeographic-scale. The non-recombining region Y-chromosome (NRY) has great potential reveal regional representation due its powerful phylogeographic information content. An area poorly characterized for Y-chromosomal data West-African along Bight Benin, important history trans-Atlantic slave trade large number ethnic groups, languages lifestyles. this study, haplotypes from four Beninese were determined global meta-analysis available Y-SNP Y-STR Benin surrounding areas was performed. A thorough methodology developed allowing samples using lineage based on different panels phylogenies. Geographic proximity turned out be best predictor affinity between Benin. Nevertheless, literature two differed strongly others same or neighbouring regionally representative within large-scale studies. Furthermore, analysis HapMap YRI Yoruban South-western Nigeria Y-SNPs showed first time representativeness, result which standard applications sample. Therefore, uniquely geographical carried by makes it an locus test certain even genomic era, especially investigated like Africa.