STR polymorphisms in the population of the island of Hvar

The aim of this study is to analyze short tandem repeat (STR) variation usi ng data on 9 loci (D3S1358, VWA, FGA, THO1, TPOX, CSF1PO, D5S818, D13S317, D7S820) from the subpopulations of 6 villages on the island of Hvar, Croati a. The STR data help us to analyze the genetic structure of Hvar. The analy sis of STR data in this study indicated genetic homogeneity among the villa ge subpopulations on Hvar and the lack of the so-called east-west dichotomy , which had been indicated by some previous multidisciplinary anthropologic al studies. The observed value of G(ST) (0.030) is most probably a conseque nce of high STR mutation rates, which produce a high level of within-group (village) diversity relative to total diversity of the population. The vali dity of STR markers in assessing genetic structure of small populations and especially in determining the relationships among closely related and repr oductively isolated groups remains to be further evaluated.