Genetic variation at 9 autosomal microsatellite loci in Asian and Pacific populations

Genetic variation at 9 autosomal microsatellite loci (CFS1R, TH01, PLA2A, F 13A1, CYP19, LPL, D20S481, D20S473, and D20S604) has been characterized in 16 Asian and Oceanic populations, mostly from mainland and insular Southeas t Asia. The neighbor-joining tree and the principal coordinates analysis of the genetic relationships of these populations show a clear separation of Papua New Guinea Highlanders and, to a lesser extent, Malayan aborigines (O rang Asli or Semai) from the rest of the populations. Although the number o f markers used in this study appears to be inadequate for clarifying the pa tterns of genetic relationships among the studied populations, in the princ ipal coordinates analysis a geographic trend is observed in the mainland an d insular Southeast Asian populations. Furthermore, in an attempt to contra st the extent of variation between autosomal and Y-chromosome-specific micr osatellite loci and to reveal potential differences in the patterns of male and female migrations, we have also compared genetic variation at these 9 autosomal loci with variation observed at 5 Y-chromosome-specific microsate llites in a common set of 14 Asian populations.