Deletion pattern in the dystrophin gene in Turks and a comparison with Europeans and Indians

Patterns of dystrophin gene deletions in DMD/BMD patients were compared in four populations: Turks (n = 146 deletions), Europeans (n = 838), North Ind ians: (n = 89), and Indians from all over India (n = 103). Statistical test s revealed that there are differences in the proportions of small deletions . In contrast, the distribution of deletion breakpoints and the frequencies of specific deletions commonly observed in the four populations are not si gnificantly different. The variations strongly suggest that sequence differ ences exist in the introns; and the differences are in agreement with genet ic distances among populations. The similarities suggest that some intronic sequences have been conserved and that those will trigger recurrent deleti ons, since it is unlikely that gene flow would disperse the deleted chromos omes. which vanish from the gene pool in a few generations.