Genetic variation at the ApoB 3 ' HVR minisatellite locus in the Mbenzele Pygmies from the Central African Republic

This study analyzes the polymorphic minisatellite ApoB 3' HVR in the Mbenze le Prgmies from the Central African Republic. A total of 14 alleles was obs erved, with frequencies ranging fi om 0.020 (19, 21, 27, and 45 repeat unit allleles) to 0.210 (37 repeat unit allele). Departure from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium was not statistically significant. The estimated heterozygosity was 0.874 +/- 0.016. Taking data from the literature into consideration, t he results support the hypothesis that the Africans are different from non- Africans due to greater ApoB 3' HVR genetic diversity and a unimodal profil e of ApoB 3' HVR allele frequency distribution. Interpopulational relations hips were also analyzed using an Fs, based genetic distance. The results hi ghlight the similarity between the Mbenzele Pygmies and Bantu-speaking grou ps (Ewondo and Zulu), and the divergence between the Mbenzele and San, the two groups which are often considered to be the most direct descendants of proto-Africans. (C) 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.