Gene geography of the indigenous population of Marii El: Immunological andbiochemical polymorphism

The geographic distribution of the frequencies of genes related to the immu nological and biochemical polymorphism was studied in the Maris, who are th e indigenous population of the Marii El Republic: Data on the frequencies o f 33 alleles of 10 loci (ABO, TF, GC, PI, HP, AHS, F13B, ACP1, PGM1, and GL O1) in five raions (districts) of Marii Fl were obtained. Computer interpol ation maps were constructed for all alleles. The maps allows to predict the distribution of the alleles throughout Marii El. A map of the reliability of the cartographic prediction was drawn. For the first time. the reliabili ty of predicted gene frequencies were taken into account in constructing an d interpreting the maps of gene frequencies. For the entire set of the stud ied genes, parameters of heterozygosity (H-S) and gene diversity (G(ST)) we re estimated. Cartographic correlation analysis was performed to reveal the relationship between gene frequencies and geographic coordinates. It was f ound that 42% of the studied genes predominantly correlated with latitude a nd 9% with longitude. It was assumed that the genetic structure of Mari pop ulations had been mainly determined by latitude-related factors. A map of N ei's genetic distances between the overall Mari gene pool arid the local po pulations revealed a central core, which was close to the "average Mari" ge ne pool, and a periphery, which was genetically distant from it. Suggestion s on the microevolution of the Mari gene pool were advanced. Maps of the ge nes with the most characteristic genetic relief (ABO*B, ACP*A, TF*D, GC*1F, PI*M2, HP*1F, and F13B*3) are shown. These maps exhibit a high correlation with the maps of principal components.