Distribution of deletion-insertion polymorphism of mitochondrial DNA intragenic region V among indigenous population of the Tuva republic

Mitochondrial DNA region V deletion-insertion polymorphism was examined in three Tuvinian populations inhabiting western, northeastern, and southeaste rn parts of the republic. The 9-bp deletion was characterized by nonrandom distribution across the Tuva territory: its frequency in the western popula tion (13.37%) was statistically significantly higher than that in the north eastern (4.62%) and southeastern populations, as well as in Mongols, who ar e territorially and ethnically close to Tuvinians. The insertion mutation i n the region V was detected with a frequency of about 3% in two out of the three populations tested.