Genetic variation of three tetrameric tandem repeats in four distinct Israeli ethnic groups

The allele frequency distributions of three STR loci amplified by PCR have been studied in four Israeli communities: Ashkenazi Jews and three non-Ashk enazi groups, namely Moroccan, Yemenite, and Ethiopian Jews. The loci analy zed were CSF1PO, TPOX, and HUMTHO1. The typing was performed in sequencing polyacrylamide gels under denaturing conditions that could separate alleles with differences of a single base. The population data were analyzed with respect to Hardy-Weinberg (H-W) equilibrium and found that all loci meet th e H-W expectations. Noticeable differences were encountered between the fou r Jewish ethnic groups studied hereby indicating the importance of establis hing a local database to be used in human identity testing in these differe nt Israeli Jewish groups.