The spectrum of microsatellite loci on chromosomes 7 and 8 in Taiwan aboriginal populations: a comparative population genetic study

Sixteen microsatellite loci on chromosomes 7 and 8 of Han-Taiwanese and six Taiwan aboriginal populations were systematically analyzed by a high-resol ution multiple-fluorescence-based polymerase chain reaction technique. Anal ysis of allele frequency distribution indicated the generic divergence amon g these populations. Several alleles were unique to specific tribes. Only t he D8S556 locus deviated from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium in all tribes. Its F-IS level, as calculated with the Nei method, was also higher and more ho mozygous than expected. Therefore, with the exception of D8S556, these vari able number of tandem repeats (VNTR) loci are suitable genetic markers for forensic and paternal testing. The F-ST level, as the proportion of the tot al variation among these tribes, ranged from 1.4% at the D7S484 locus to 6. 8% at the D7S550 locus. The average F-ST was 3.9%, suggesting that there we re substantial variations among these populations. The genetic identity ana lysis and the genetic distance analysis reached the same conclusions, viz., that the Ami and the Paiwan tribes were genetically close to each other, t hat the Atayal tribe was relatively unique compared with other tribes, and that the Saisiat tribe was relatively close to the Han-Taiwanese. A dendrog ram for these tribes was further constructed by the UPGMA method. These VNT R data not only facilitate forensic and paternity testing, but also provide anthropometric information for further elucidating the relationship of Tai wan populations to the Austronesian family.