The Russian gene pool: Frequencies of genetic markers

Frequency distribution of several genetic markers was studied in ethnic Rus sians from the Moscow, Bryansk, Ryazan', Kostroma, Novgorod, Arkhangel'sk, and Sverdlovsk oblasts and Udmurtiya. Systems AB0, RH, HP, TF, GC, PI, C'3, ACP1, PGM1, ESD, GLO1, 6PGD, and AKA,ere analyzed in most samples. New dat a on informative polymorphic genetic loci showed that the Russian gene pool mostly displays Caucasoid features. Some data on polymorphism of nuclear g enome loci are presented. In addition, Y-chromosomal short tandem repeats ( STRs) DYS19, DYS390, and DYCAII were analyzed in the Russian samples. STRs of the chromosome are particularly valuable for elucidating ethnogenetic pr ocesses in Eastern Europe. Frequency distributions of the Y-chromosomal mar kers in Russians were intermediate between those of West European populatio ns and eastern Finno-Ugric ethnoses of the Volga region. A marked longitudi nal gradient was revealed for frequencies of several molecular markers.