Sex-specific migration patterns in central Asian populations, revealed by analysis of Y-chromosome short tandem repeats and mtDNA

Eight Y-linked short-tandem-repeat polymorphisms (DYS19, DYS388, DYS389I, D YS389II, DYS390, DYS391, DYS392, and DYS393) were analyzed in four populati ons of Central Asia, comprising two lowland samples-Uighurs and lowland Kir ghiz-and two highland samples-namely, the Kazakhs (altitude 2,500 m above s ea level) and highland Kirghiz (altitude 3,200 m above sea level). The resu lts were compared with mtDNA sequence data on the same individuals, to stud y possible differences in male versus female genetic-variation patterns in these Central Asian populations. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) sho wed a very high degree of genetic differentiation among the populations tes ted, in discordance with the results obtained with mtDNA sequences, which s howed high homogeneity. Moreover, a dramatic reduction of the haplotype gen etic diversity was observed in the villages at high altitude, especially in the highland Kirghiz, when compared with the villages at low altitude, whi ch suggests a male founder effect in the settlement of high-altitude lands. Nonetheless, mtDNA genetic diversity in these highland populations is equi valent to that in the lowland populations. The present results suggest a ve ry different migration pattern in males versus females, in an extended hist orical frame, with a higher migration rate for females.