A GENETIC-STUDY OF THE SOUTH ALTAIAN POPU LATION OF THE MENDUR-SOKKONVILLAGE, ALTAI REPUBLIC

This study was a continuation of complex research on the gene pool of indigenous Siberian populations conducted at the Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Siberian Division, Russian Academy of Sciences. In the population of South Altaians from the Mendur-Sokkon village, Ust'-Kans kii raion, Altai Republic, polymorphism for the following genetic mark ers was studied: blood groups ABO, MNSs, Rhesus, Kell, Duffy, and P; e rythrocyte acid phosphatase (AcP); phosphoglucomutase 1 (PCM1); haptog lobin (Hp); and transferrin (Tf). The genetic position of South Altaia ns relative to the populations of the European part of Russia, Siberia , and the Urals was estimated. It was demonstrated that the gene pool of the South Altaian population of Mendur-Sokkon possessed both Caucas oid and Mongoloid genetic characteristics, with the latter prevailing. Genetically, this population is most closely related to Mongols and N entsis. The genetic distance between South and North Altaians was larg e; this agreed with earlier genetic data and confirmed anthropological and ethnographic evidence indicating that these two groups had differ ent backgrounds and were at different stages of ethnogenesis.