Catalonian population study of the tetranucleotide repeat loci D3S1358, D8S1179, D18S51 and D19S253

Allele frequencies for four short tandem repeat loci were determined in a p opulation sample from Catalonia (NE Spain). After denaturing PAGE electroph oresis, 8 alleles were identified for D3S1358 (n = 20), 10 alleles for D8S1 179 (n = 198), 13 alleles for D18S51 (n = 197) and 11 alleles for D19S253 ( n = 201). No deviation from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium was found. Complete and relative uniformity in Caucasoid populations has been observed for D18S 51 and D8S1179 respectively. Pronounced differences were found between diff erent ethnic groups for both systems. Catalonia and Portugal do not differ for D3S1358 locus. Multiplex PCR amplifications of three loci (D3S1358, D18 S51 and D19S253) without overlapping fragment size ranges could be interest ing for monochrome automated laser fluorescence devices.