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Genome-Wide Analysis of Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms Uncovers Population Structure in Northern Europe
- Source :
- PLoS ONE, PLoS ONE, Vol 3, Iss 10, p e3519 (2008)
- Publication Year :
- 2008
- Publisher :
- Public Library of Science (PLoS), 2008.
-
Abstract
- Background: Genome-wide data provide a powerful tool for inferring patterns of genetic variation and structure of human populations. Principal Findings: In this study, we analysed almost 250,000 SNPs from a total of 945 samples from Eastern and Western Finland, Sweden, Northern Germany and Great Britain complemented with HapMap data. Small but statistically significant differences were observed between the European populations (FST=0.0040, p,10 24 ), also between Eastern and Western Finland (FST=0.0032, p,10 23 ). The latter indicated the existence of a relatively strong autosomal substructure within the country, similar to that observed earlier with smaller numbers of markers. The Germans and British were less differentiated than the Swedes, Western Finns and especially the Eastern Finns who also showed other signs of genetic drift. This is likely caused by the later founding of the northern populations, together with subsequent founder and bottleneck effects, and a smaller population size. Furthermore, our data suggest a small eastern contribution among the Finns, consistent with the historical and linguistic background of the population. Significance: Our results warn against a priori assumptions of homogeneity among Finns and other seemingly isolated populations. Thus, in association studies in such populations, additional caution for population structure may be necessary. Our results illustrate that population history is often important for patterns of genetic variation, and that the analysis of hundreds of thousands of SNPs provides high resolution also for population genetics.
- Subjects :
- Genetic Markers
Male
Population
education
lcsh:Medicine
Population genetics
Genome-wide association study
Biology
Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide
Cohort Studies
03 medical and health sciences
0302 clinical medicine
Gene Frequency
Genetic drift
Genetics and Genomics/Population Genetics
Genetic variation
Humans
Genetics and Genomics/Genomics
lcsh:Science
Allele frequency
Finland
Language
030304 developmental biology
Genetic association
Genetics
0303 health sciences
education.field_of_study
Multidisciplinary
Population size
lcsh:R
1184 Genetics, developmental biology, physiology
Genetics and Genomics
Europe
Evolutionary biology
lcsh:Q
030217 neurology & neurosurgery
Genome-Wide Association Study
Research Article
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 19326203
- Volume :
- 3
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- PLoS ONE
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....3672dec12c9556f0a8f587e873dfc36e