MSY2: a slowly evolving minisatellite on the human Y chromosome which provides a useful polymorphic marker in Chinese populations

We present the second human Y-specific minisatellite, MSY2 (DYS440). It con sists of three or four copies of a 99-110 bp repeat unit and is located abo ut 1 kb upstream of the DBY gene. The most common allele contains four unit s, but a three-unit allele has arisen on at least four occasions; ill chimp anzees and orangutans, MSY2 contains only two units. It is therefore evolvi ng slowly and provides a particularly useful polymorphic marker for Chinese populations. (C) 2000 Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserv ed.