HLA ANTIGENS IN 5 AMERINDIAN GROUPS (YUKO, BARI, TUNEBO, GUANE AND PAEZ) OF COLOMBIA - RESULTS OF EXPEDICION HUMANA

The serological HLA types (A, B, C and D loci) were studied in five di fferent Indian groups in Colombia. The range of polymorphism was not v ery restricted in these groups, but there was significant genetic hete rogeneity among the five populations in all the HLA loci. The gene fre quency data, when converted into a kinship matrix and a two-dimensiona l eigenvector plot, showed a closer affinity between Bari and Yuko Ind ians, while Guane, Tunebo and Paez Indians were not only genetically d ifferent from the former but also well-differentiated from each other. It seems therefore from this study that geographical proximity may pl ay a greater role than linguistic similarities in the genetic affiniti es of Colombian Amerindians.