Georgian and Kurd mtDNA sequence analysis shows a lack of correlation between languages and female genetic lineages

Mitochondrial DNA sequences from Georgians and Kurds were analyzed in order to test the possible correlation between female lineages and languages in these two neighboring West Eurasian groups. Mitochondrial sequence pools in both populations are very similar despite their different linguistic and p rehistoric backgrounds. Both populations present mtDNA lineages that clearl y belong to the European gene pool, as shown by 1) similar nucleotide and s equence diversities; 2) a large number of sequences shared with the rest of European samples; 3) nonsignificant genetic distances; and 4)classificatio n of the present lineages into the major European mtDNA haplogroups already described. The outlier position of the populations from the Caucasus accor ding to classical genetic markers is not recognized in the present Georgian mtDNA sequence pool. This result suggests that the differentiation of mtDN A sequences in West Eurasia and the outlier features of Caucasian populatio ns should be attributed to different processes. Moreover, the putative ling uistic relationship between Caucasian groups and the Basques, another outli er population within Europe for classical genetic markers, is not detected by the analysis of mtDNA sequences. (C) 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.