Human-specific insertion deletion polymorphisms in Indian populations and their possible evolutionary implications

DNA samples from 396 unrelated individuals belonging to 14 ethnic populatio ns of India, inhabiting various geographical locations and occupying variou s positions in the socio-cultural hierarchy, were analysed in respect of 8 human-specific polymorphic insertion/deletion loci, All loci, except Alu CD 4, were found to be highly polymorphic in all populations. The levels of av erage heterozygosities were found to be very high in all populations and, i n most populations, also higher than those predicted by the island model of population structure, The coefficient of gene differentiation among Indian populations was found to be higher than populations in most other global r egions, except Africa. These results are discussed in the light of two poss ible scenarios of evolution of Indian populations in the broader context of human evolution.