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Founder lineages in the Iberian Roma mitogenomes recapitulate the Roma diaspora and show the effects of demographic bottlenecks. Sci Rep 2022; 12:18720. [PMID: 36333436 PMCID: PMC9636147 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-23349-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 10/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
The Roma are the largest ethnic minority in Europe. With a Northwestern Indian origin around ~ 1.5 kya, they travelled throughout West Asia until their arrival in Europe around the eleventh century CE. Their diaspora through Europe is characterized by population bottlenecks and founder events which have contributed to their present day genetic and cultural diversity. In our study, we focus on the effects of founder effects in the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) pool of Iberian Roma by producing and analyzing 144 novel whole mtDNA sequences of Iberian Roma. Over 60% of their mtDNA pool is composed by founder lineages of South Asian origin or acquired by gene flow during their diaspora in the Middle East or locally in Europe in Europe. The TMRCA of these lineages predates the historical record of the Roma arrival in Spain. The abundance of founder lineages is in contrast with ~ 0.7% of autochthonous founder lineages present in the non-Roma Iberian population. Within those founder lineages, we found a substantial amount of South Asian M5a1b1a1 haplotypes and high frequencies of West Eurasian founder lineages (U3b1c, J2b1c, J1c1b, J1b3a, H88, among others), which we characterized phylogenetically and put in phylogeographical context. Besides, we found no evidence of genetic substructure of Roma within the Iberian Peninsula. These results show the magnitude of founder effects in the Iberian Roma and further explain the Roma history and genetic diversity from a matrilineal point of view.
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Adnan A, Rakha A, Lazim H, Nazir S, Al-Qahtani WS, Abdullah Alwaili M, Hadi S, Wang CC. Are Roma People Descended from the Punjab Region of Pakistan: A Y-Chromosomal Perspective. Genes (Basel) 2022; 13:genes13030532. [PMID: 35328085 PMCID: PMC8951058 DOI: 10.3390/genes13030532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Revised: 03/14/2022] [Accepted: 03/15/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Gypsies are a separate ethnic group living in Pakistan and some other countries as well. They are mostly known as ‘Roma’ and ‘untouchables’. They have different types of lifestyles as compared to other common people, as they always keep migrating from one place to another. They do not have proper houses; they live in tent houses and most probably work on daily wages to earn their living. Gypsies cannot be specified according to the place of residence and can only be classified according to their migration route. Previous historical and linguistic research showed the north Indian origin of Roma people. The present study collected 285 unrelated Roma individuals living in Punjab and typed with the Goldeneye Y20 system. Allelic frequencies ranged between 0.0035 and 0.5266, with haplotype diversity (HD) of 0.9999 and discrimination capacity (DC) of 0.8790. Gene diversity (GD) ranged from 0.6489 (DYS391) to 0.9764 (DYS391) (DY385ab). A total of 223 unique alleles were observed. Interestingly, the haplogroup R accounted for 40.56% and J for 22.06%. In MDS analysis, Pakistani Roma formed a close cluster with Roma from Constanta, Romania. The migration pattern of the Roma population from Pakistan, India and Europe was inferred using coalescence theory in the Migrate-n program. Overlapping Y-STR data were used to test different migration models. These migration models showed us the dominant gene flow from Pakistan to India and Europe to Pakistan. The results of our study showed that Y STRs provided substantially stronger discriminatory power in the Pakistani Roma population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atif Adnan
- Department of Anthropology and Ethnology, Institute of Anthropology, School of Sociology and Anthropology, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361000, China
- Department of Forensic Sciences, College of Criminal Justice, Naif Arab University of Security Sciences, Riyadh 11452, Saudi Arabia; (W.S.A.-Q.); (S.H.)
- Correspondence: (A.A.); (C.-C.W.)
| | - Allah Rakha
- Department of Forensic Sciences, University of Health Sciences, Lahore 54600, Pakistan; (A.R.); (S.N.)
| | - Hayder Lazim
- Faculty of Health, Social Care and Medicine, Edge Hill University, Ormskirk L39 4QP, UK;
| | - Shahid Nazir
- Department of Forensic Sciences, University of Health Sciences, Lahore 54600, Pakistan; (A.R.); (S.N.)
| | - Wedad Saeed Al-Qahtani
- Department of Forensic Sciences, College of Criminal Justice, Naif Arab University of Security Sciences, Riyadh 11452, Saudi Arabia; (W.S.A.-Q.); (S.H.)
| | - Maha Abdullah Alwaili
- Department of Biology, College of Sciences, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh 84428, Saudi Arabia;
| | - Sibte Hadi
- Department of Forensic Sciences, College of Criminal Justice, Naif Arab University of Security Sciences, Riyadh 11452, Saudi Arabia; (W.S.A.-Q.); (S.H.)
| | - Chuan-Chao Wang
- Department of Anthropology and Ethnology, Institute of Anthropology, School of Sociology and Anthropology, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361000, China
- Correspondence: (A.A.); (C.-C.W.)
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Applicability of Obesity-Related SNPs and their Effect Size Measures Defined on Populations with European Ancestry for Genetic Risk Estimation among Roma. Genes (Basel) 2020; 11:genes11050516. [PMID: 32384785 PMCID: PMC7720118 DOI: 10.3390/genes11050516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2020] [Revised: 04/30/2020] [Accepted: 05/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Investigations on the impact of genetic factors on the development of obesity have been limited regarding the Roma population—the largest and most vulnerable ethnic minority in Europe of Asian origin. Genetic variants identified from genetic association studies are primarily from European populations. With that in mind, we investigated the applicability of data on selected obesity-related single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), obtained from the Hungarian general (HG) population of European origin, on the Hungarian Roma (HR) population. Twenty preselected SNPs in susceptible alleles, known to be significantly associated with obesity-related phenotypes, were used to estimate the effect of these SNPs on body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) in HG (N = 1783) and HR (N = 1225) populations. Single SNP associations were tested using linear and logistic regression models, adjusted for known covariates. Out of 20 SNPs, four located in FTO (rs1121980, rs1558902, rs9939609, and rs9941349) showed strong association with BMI and WC as continuous variables in both samples. Computations based on Adult Treatment Panel III (ATPIII) and the International Diabetes Federation’s (IDF) European and Asian criteria showed rs9941349 in FTO to be associated only with WC among both populations, and two SNPs (rs2867125, rs6548238) in TMEM18 associated with WC only in HG population. A substantial difference (both in direction and effect size) was observed only in the case of rs1801282 in PPARγ on WC as a continuous outcome. Findings suggest that genetic risk scores based on counting SNPs with relatively high effect sizes, defined based on populations with European ancestry, can sufficiently allow estimation of genetic susceptibility for Roma. Further studies are needed to clarify the role of SNP(s) with protective effect(s).
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Font-Porterias N, Arauna LR, Poveda A, Bianco E, Rebato E, Prata MJ, Calafell F, Comas D. European Roma groups show complex West Eurasian admixture footprints and a common South Asian genetic origin. PLoS Genet 2019; 15:e1008417. [PMID: 31545809 PMCID: PMC6779411 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1008417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2019] [Revised: 10/07/2019] [Accepted: 09/12/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The Roma population is the largest transnational ethnic minority in Europe, characterized by a linguistic, cultural and historical heterogeneity. Comparative linguistics and genetic studies have placed the origin of European Roma in the Northwest of India. After their migration across Persia, they entered into the Balkan Peninsula, from where they spread into Europe, arriving in the Iberian Peninsula in the 15th century. Their particular demographic history has genetic implications linked to rare and common diseases. However, the South Asian source of the proto-Roma remains still untargeted and the West Eurasian Roma component has not been yet deeply characterized. Here, in order to describe both the South Asian and West Eurasian ancestries, we analyze previously published genome-wide data of 152 European Roma and 34 new Iberian Roma samples at a fine-scale and haplotype-based level, with special focus on the Iberian Roma genetic substructure. Our results suggest that the putative origin of the proto-Roma involves a Punjabi group with low levels of West Eurasian ancestry. In addition, we have identified a complex West Eurasian component (around 65%) in the Roma, as a result of the admixture events occurred with non-proto-Roma populations between 1270–1580. Particularly, we have detected the Balkan genetic footprint in all European Roma, and the Baltic and Iberian components in the Northern and Western Roma groups, respectively. Finally, our results show genetic substructure within the Iberian Roma, with different levels of West Eurasian admixture, as a result of the complex historical events occurred in the Peninsula. Human demographic processes and admixture events leave traceable footprints in the genomes of the populations and they can modulate the genetic architecture of complex diseases. Here, we aim to study the Roma people, an admixed population with a particular demographic history recognized as the largest ethnic minority in Europe. Previous studies suggest that they originated in South Asia 1,500 years ago and followed a diaspora towards Europe with extensive admixture with non-Roma West Eurasian groups. However, the genetic components of the Roma have not been deeply characterized. Our study reveals a common South Asian origin of all European Roma, closely related to a Punjabi group from Northwestern India. Through fine-scale haplotype-based methods, we describe a complex West Eurasian genetic component in the Roma groups, identifying a common Balkan ancestry and country-specific admixture footprints consistent with the dispersion through Europe. Our findings provide new insights into the demographic history and recent admixture events that have shaped the genetic composition of European Roma groups and could enable a better genetic characterization of complex disease in this population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neus Font-Porterias
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology (UPF-CSIC), Department of Experimental and Health Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Lara R. Arauna
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology (UPF-CSIC), Department of Experimental and Health Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
- Unit of Human Evolutionary Genetics, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
| | - Alaitz Poveda
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Genetic and Molecular Epidemiology Unit, Lund University Diabetes Centre, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden
| | - Erica Bianco
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology (UPF-CSIC), Department of Experimental and Health Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Esther Rebato
- Department of Genetics, Physical Anthropology and Animal Physiology, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Leioa, Spain
| | - Maria Joao Prata
- Instituto de Investigacão e Inovacão em Saude/Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology of the University of Porto, Porto, Portugal; Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Francesc Calafell
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology (UPF-CSIC), Department of Experimental and Health Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - David Comas
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology (UPF-CSIC), Department of Experimental and Health Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
- * E-mail:
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Bánfai Z, Ádám V, Pöstyéni E, Büki G, Czakó M, Miseta A, Melegh B. Revealing the impact of the Caucasus region on the genetic legacy of Romani people from genome-wide data. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0202890. [PMID: 30199533 PMCID: PMC6130880 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0202890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2018] [Accepted: 08/11/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Romani people are a significant minority in Europe counting about 10 million individuals scattered throughout the continent. They are a migratory group originating from Northwestern India. Their exodus from India occurred approximately 1000–1500 years ago. The migration route of the Romani people was reconstructed with the help of cultural anthropology, linguistics and historical records. Their migration made them through Central Asia, Middle East and the Caucasus region, prior to the arriving into Europe. Yet the significance of these regions, especially of the Caucasus, in Roma ancestry was a rather neglected topic. Contribution of the Caucasus and further affected regions to the ancestry of Roma was investigated based on genome-wide autosomal marker data. 158 European Roma samples and 41 populations from the Caucasus region, from Middle East, Central Asia and from South Asia were considered in our tests. Population structure and ancestry analysis algorithms were applied to investigate the relationship of Roma with these populations. Identical by descent DNA segment analyses and admixture linkage disequilibrium based tests were also applied. Our results suggest that the Caucasus region plays also a significant role in the genetic legacy of Romani people besides the main sources, Europe and South Asia, previously investigated by other population genetic studies. The Middle East and Central Asia seems slightly less important but far from negligible in connection with the sources of Roma ancestry. Our results point out that the Caucasus region and altogether the area of the Caspian and Black Seas had a significant role in the migration of Romani people towards Europe and contributed significantly to the genetic legacy of Roma rival to the European and Indian main sources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zsolt Bánfai
- Department of Medical Genetics, Clinical Centre, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary
- Szentágothai Research Centre, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary
| | - Valerián Ádám
- Department of Medical Genetics, Clinical Centre, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary
- Szentágothai Research Centre, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary
| | - Etelka Pöstyéni
- Department of Medical Genetics, Clinical Centre, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary
- Szentágothai Research Centre, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary
| | - Gergely Büki
- Department of Medical Genetics, Clinical Centre, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary
- Szentágothai Research Centre, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary
| | - Márta Czakó
- Department of Medical Genetics, Clinical Centre, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary
- Szentágothai Research Centre, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary
| | - Attila Miseta
- University of Pécs, Medical School, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Pécs, Hungary
| | - Béla Melegh
- Department of Medical Genetics, Clinical Centre, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary
- Szentágothai Research Centre, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary
- * E-mail:
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Melegh BI, Banfai Z, Hadzsiev K, Miseta A, Melegh B. Refining the South Asian Origin of the Romani people. BMC Genet 2017; 18:82. [PMID: 28859608 PMCID: PMC5580230 DOI: 10.1186/s12863-017-0547-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2016] [Accepted: 08/21/2017] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Recent genetic studies based on genome-wide Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) data further investigated the history of Roma and suggested that the source of South Asian ancestry in Roma originates most likely from the Northwest region of India. Methods In this study, based also on genome-wide SNP data, we attempted to refine these findings using significantly larger number of European Roma samples, an extended dataset of Indian groups and involving Pakistani groups into the analyses. Our Roma data contained 179 Roma samples. Our extended Indian data consisted of 51 distinct Indian ethnic groups, which provided us a higher resolution of the population living on the Indian subcontinent. We used in this study principal component analysis and other ancestry estimating methods for the study of population relationships, several formal tests of admixture and an improved algorithm for investigating shared IBD segments in order to investigate the main sources of Roma ancestry. Results According to our analyses, Roma showed significant IBD sharing of 0.132 Mb with Northwest Indian ethnic groups. The most significant IBD sharings included ethnic groups of Punjab, Rajasthan and Gujarat states. However, we found also significant IBD sharing of 0.087 Mb with ethnic groups living in Pakistan, such as Balochi, Brahui, Burusho, Kalash, Makrani, Pashtun and Sindhi. Conclusion Our results show that Northwest India could play an important role in the South Asian ancestry of Roma, however, the origin of Romani people might include the area of Pakistan as well. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12863-017-0547-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bela I Melegh
- University of Pecs, Szentagothai Research Centre, Ifjusag Road 20, Pecs, H-7624, Hungary.,Department of Medical Genetics, University of Pecs, Clinical Centre, Szigeti Road 12, Pécs, H-7624, Hungary
| | - Zsolt Banfai
- University of Pecs, Szentagothai Research Centre, Ifjusag Road 20, Pecs, H-7624, Hungary.,Department of Medical Genetics, University of Pecs, Clinical Centre, Szigeti Road 12, Pécs, H-7624, Hungary
| | - Kinga Hadzsiev
- University of Pecs, Szentagothai Research Centre, Ifjusag Road 20, Pecs, H-7624, Hungary.,Department of Medical Genetics, University of Pecs, Clinical Centre, Szigeti Road 12, Pécs, H-7624, Hungary
| | - Attila Miseta
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of Pecs, Medical School, Szigeti Road 13, Pecs, H-7624, Hungary
| | - Bela Melegh
- University of Pecs, Szentagothai Research Centre, Ifjusag Road 20, Pecs, H-7624, Hungary. .,Department of Medical Genetics, University of Pecs, Clinical Centre, Szigeti Road 12, Pécs, H-7624, Hungary.
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Ehler E, Vanek D. Forensic genetic analyses in isolated populations with examples of central European Valachs and Roma. J Forensic Leg Med 2017; 48:46-52. [PMID: 28454050 DOI: 10.1016/j.jflm.2017.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2016] [Revised: 03/22/2017] [Accepted: 04/09/2017] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Isolated populations present a constant threat to the correctness of forensic genetic casework. In this review article we present several examples of how analyzing samples from isolated populations can bias the results of the forensic statistics and analyses. We select our examples from isolated populations from central and southeastern Europe, namely the Valachs and the European Roma. We also provide the reader with general strategies and principles to improve the laboratory practice (best practice) and reporting of samples from supposedly isolated populations. These include reporting the precise population data used for computing the forensic statistics, using the appropriate θ correction factor for calculating allele frequencies, typing ancestry informative markers in samples of unknown or uncertain ethnicity and establishing ethnic-specific forensic databases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edvard Ehler
- Department of Biology and Environmental Studies, Charles University in Prague, Faculty of Education, Magdaleny Rettigove 4, Prague, 116 39, Czech Republic; Institute of Anthropology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, ul. Umultowska 89, 61-614, Poznan, Poland.
| | - Daniel Vanek
- Forensic DNA Service, Janovskeho 18, Prague 7, 170 00, Czech Republic; Charles University in Prague, 2nd Faculty of Medicine, V Uvalu 84, Prague, 150 06, Czech Republic; Nemocnice Na Bulovce, Institute of Legal Medicine, Budinova 2, Prague, 180 81, Czech Republic.
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Bellón T, Ramírez E, Borobia AM, Lerma V, Moreno-Hidalgo MA, Laosa O, Aramburu JA, González-Herrada C, de Abajo FJ. The HLA-B*15:02 allele in a Spanish Romani patient with carbamazepine-induced Stevens-Johnson syndrome. Pharmacogenomics 2016; 17:541-5. [PMID: 27020614 DOI: 10.2217/pgs.16.10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The HLA-B*15:02 allele is a risk factor for carbamazepine (CBZ)-induced Stevens-Johnson syndrome/toxic epidermal necrolysis in populations where the allele is prevalent. Han Chinese and Thai patients are advised to take a genetic test before introducing CBZ. Such testing is not recommended for patients of European descent. We report the case of a Spanish Romani patient who developed Stevens-Johnson syndrome upon treatment with CBZ. In vitro assays confirmed CBZ as the culprit drug. HLA typing showed that the patient carried the HLA-B*15:02 allele. A public database search revealed that 2% of Spanish Romani people likely carry the risk variant HLA-B*15:02 and therefore may be included in the population to be tested prior to beginning treatment with CBZ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teresa Bellón
- Institute for Health Research, University Hospital La Paz - IdiPAZ, Madrid, Spain
| | - Elena Ramírez
- Clinical Pharmacology Department, University Hospital La Paz, Madrid, Spain
| | - Alberto M Borobia
- Clinical Pharmacology Department, University Hospital La Paz, Madrid, Spain
| | - Victoria Lerma
- Clinical Pharmacology Unit, University Hospital Príncipe de Asturias, Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Olga Laosa
- Foundation for Biomedical Research, University Hospital de Getafe, Getafe, Madrid, Spain
| | - José A Aramburu
- Pathology Department, University Hospital de Getafe, Getafe, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Francisco J de Abajo
- Clinical Pharmacology Unit, University Hospital Príncipe de Asturias, Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain.,Department of Biomedical Sciences (Pharmacology), University of Alcalá, Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain
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Origins, admixture and founder lineages in European Roma. Eur J Hum Genet 2015; 24:937-43. [PMID: 26374132 DOI: 10.1038/ejhg.2015.201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2015] [Revised: 07/20/2015] [Accepted: 08/11/2015] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
The Roma, also known as 'Gypsies', represent the largest and the most widespread ethnic minority of Europe. There is increasing evidence, based on linguistic, anthropological and genetic data, to suggest that they originated from the Indian subcontinent, with subsequent bottlenecks and undetermined gene flow from/to hosting populations during their diaspora. Further support comes from the presence of Indian uniparentally inherited lineages, such as mitochondrial DNA M and Y-chromosome H haplogroups, in a significant number of Roma individuals. However, the limited resolution of most genetic studies so far, together with the restriction of the samples used, have prevented the detection of other non-Indian founder lineages that might have been present in the proto-Roma population. We performed a high-resolution study of the uniparental genomes of 753 Roma and 984 non-Roma hosting European individuals. Roma groups show lower genetic diversity and high heterogeneity compared with non-Roma samples as a result of lower effective population size and extensive drift, consistent with a series of bottlenecks during their diaspora. We found a set of founder lineages, present in the Roma and virtually absent in the non-Roma, for the maternal (H7, J1b3, J1c1, M18, M35b, M5a1, U3, and X2d) and paternal (I-P259, J-M92, and J-M67) genomes. This lineage classification allows us to identify extensive gene flow from non-Roma to Roma groups, whereas the opposite pattern, although not negligible, is substantially lower (up to 6.3%). Finally, the exact haplotype matching analysis of both uniparental lineages consistently points to a Northwestern origin of the proto-Roma population within the Indian subcontinent.
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Messina F, Finocchio A, Rolfo MF, De Angelis F, Rapone C, Coletta M, Martínez-Labarga C, Biondi G, Berti A, Rickards O. Traces of forgotten historical events in mountain communities in Central Italy: A genetic insight. Am J Hum Biol 2015; 27:508-19. [PMID: 25728801 DOI: 10.1002/ajhb.22677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2014] [Revised: 11/20/2014] [Accepted: 12/20/2014] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Analysis of human genetic variation in mountain communities can shed light on the peopling of mountainous regions, perhaps revealing whether the remote geographic location spared them from outside invasion and preserved their gene pool from admixture. In this study, we created a model to assess genetic traces of historical events by reconstructing the paternal and maternal genetic history of seven small mountain villages in inland valleys of Central Italy. METHODS The communities were selected for their geographic isolation, attested biodemographic stability, and documented history prior to the Roman conquest. We studied the genetic structure by analyzing two hypervariable segments (HVS-I and HVS-II) of the mtDNA D-loop and several informative single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the mtDNA coding region in 346 individuals, in addition to 17 short tandem repeats (STRs) and Y-chromosome SNPs in 237 male individuals. RESULTS For both uniparental markers, most of the haplogroups originated in Western Europe while some Near Eastern haplogroups were identified at low frequencies. However, there was an evident genetic similarity between the Central Italian samples and Near Eastern populations mainly in the male genetic pool. CONCLUSIONS The samples highlight an overall European genetic pattern both for mtDNA and Y chromosome. Notwithstanding this scenario, Y chromosome haplogroup Q, a common paternal lineage in Central/Western Asia but almost Europe-wide absent, was found, suggesting that Central Italy could have hosted a settlement from Anatolia that might be supported by cultural, topographic and genetic evidence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Messina
- Department of Biology, Center of Molecular Anthropology for ancient DNA study, University of Rome 'Tor Vergata', Via della Ricerca Scientifica n. 1, 00133, Rome, Italy
| | - Andrea Finocchio
- Department of Biology, Center of Molecular Anthropology for ancient DNA study, University of Rome 'Tor Vergata', Via della Ricerca Scientifica n. 1, 00133, Rome, Italy
| | - Mario Federico Rolfo
- Department of Historical, Philosophical and Social Sciences, Cultural and Territory Heritage, University of Rome 'Tor Vergata', Via Columbia n. 1, 00173, Rome, Italy
| | - Flavio De Angelis
- Department of Biology, Center of Molecular Anthropology for ancient DNA study, University of Rome 'Tor Vergata', Via della Ricerca Scientifica n. 1, 00133, Rome, Italy
| | - Cesare Rapone
- Carabinieri, Scientific Investigation Department, Viale di Tor di Quinto 151, 00191, Rome, Italy
| | - Martina Coletta
- Department of Biology, Center of Molecular Anthropology for ancient DNA study, University of Rome 'Tor Vergata', Via della Ricerca Scientifica n. 1, 00133, Rome, Italy
| | - Cristina Martínez-Labarga
- Department of Biology, Center of Molecular Anthropology for ancient DNA study, University of Rome 'Tor Vergata', Via della Ricerca Scientifica n. 1, 00133, Rome, Italy
| | - Gianfranco Biondi
- Department of Environmental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, Via Vetoio, 67010, L'Aquila, Italy
| | - Andrea Berti
- Carabinieri, Scientific Investigation Department, Viale di Tor di Quinto 151, 00191, Rome, Italy
| | - Olga Rickards
- Department of Biology, Center of Molecular Anthropology for ancient DNA study, University of Rome 'Tor Vergata', Via della Ricerca Scientifica n. 1, 00133, Rome, Italy
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11
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Indian signatures in the westernmost edge of the European Romani diaspora: new insight from mitogenomes. PLoS One 2013; 8:e75397. [PMID: 24143169 PMCID: PMC3797067 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0075397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2013] [Accepted: 08/13/2013] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
In agreement with historical documentation, several genetic studies have revealed ancestral links between the European Romani and India. The entire mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) of 27 Spanish Romani was sequenced in order to shed further light on the origins of this population. The data were analyzed together with a large published dataset (mainly hypervariable region I [HVS-I] haplotypes) of Romani (N=1,353) and non-Romani worldwide populations (N>150,000). Analysis of mitogenomes allowed the characterization of various Romani-specific clades. M5a1b1a1 is the most distinctive European Romani haplogroup; it is present in all Romani groups at variable frequencies (with only sporadic findings in non-Romani) and represents 18% of their mtDNA pool. Its phylogeographic features indicate that M5a1b1a1 originated 1.5 thousand years ago (kya; 95% CI: 1.3-1.8) in a proto-Romani population living in Northwest India. U3 represents the most characteristic Romani haplogroup of European/Near Eastern origin (12.4%); it appears at dissimilar frequencies across the continent (Iberia: ≈ 31%; Eastern/Central Europe: ≈ 13%). All U3 mitogenomes of our Iberian Romani sample fall within a new sub-clade, U3b1c, which can be dated to 0.5 kya (95% CI: 0.3-0.7); therefore, signaling a lower bound for the founder event that followed admixture in Europe/Near East. Other minor European/Near Eastern haplogroups (e.g. H24, H88a) were also assimilated into the Romani by introgression with neighboring populations during their diaspora into Europe; yet some show a differentiation from the phylogenetically closest non-Romani counterpart. The phylogeny of Romani mitogenomes shows clear signatures of low effective population sizes and founder effects. Overall, these results are in good agreement with historical documentation, suggesting that cultural identity and relative isolation have allowed the Romani to preserve a distinctive mtDNA heritage, with some features linking them unequivocally to their ancestral Indian homeland.
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Indigenous and foreign Y-chromosomes characterize the Lingayat and Vokkaliga populations of Southwest India. Gene 2013; 526:96-106. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2013.04.074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2013] [Revised: 04/25/2013] [Accepted: 04/26/2013] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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Moorjani P, Patterson N, Loh PR, Lipson M, Kisfali P, Melegh BI, Bonin M, Kádaši Ľ, Rieß O, Berger B, Reich D, Melegh B. Reconstructing Roma history from genome-wide data. PLoS One 2013; 8:e58633. [PMID: 23516520 PMCID: PMC3596272 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0058633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2012] [Accepted: 02/05/2013] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The Roma people, living throughout Europe and West Asia, are a diverse population linked by the Romani language and culture. Previous linguistic and genetic studies have suggested that the Roma migrated into Europe from South Asia about 1,000-1,500 years ago. Genetic inferences about Roma history have mostly focused on the Y chromosome and mitochondrial DNA. To explore what additional information can be learned from genome-wide data, we analyzed data from six Roma groups that we genotyped at hundreds of thousands of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). We estimate that the Roma harbor about 80% West Eurasian ancestry-derived from a combination of European and South Asian sources-and that the date of admixture of South Asian and European ancestry was about 850 years before present. We provide evidence for Eastern Europe being a major source of European ancestry, and North-west India being a major source of the South Asian ancestry in the Roma. By computing allele sharing as a measure of linkage disequilibrium, we estimate that the migration of Roma out of the Indian subcontinent was accompanied by a severe founder event, which appears to have been followed by a major demographic expansion after the arrival in Europe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priya Moorjani
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Nick Patterson
- Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Po-Ru Loh
- Department of Mathematics and Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Mark Lipson
- Department of Mathematics and Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Péter Kisfali
- Department of Medical Genetics and Szentagothai Research Center, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary
| | - Bela I. Melegh
- Department of Medical Genetics and Szentagothai Research Center, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary
| | - Michael Bonin
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Ľudevít Kádaši
- Institute of Molecular Physiology and Genetics, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Olaf Rieß
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Bonnie Berger
- Department of Mathematics and Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - David Reich
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Béla Melegh
- Department of Medical Genetics and Szentagothai Research Center, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary
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