Y-chromosomal Status of Six Indo-European-Speaking Arab Subpopulations in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province, Iran

• Main Authors: Elham BANIMEHDI-DEHKORDI, Behnaz SAFFAR, Mostafa SHAKHSI-NIAEI
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Tehran University of Medical Sciences 2018-03-01
• Series: Iranian Journal of Public Health
• Subjects: Arab subpopulation; Haplogroup; Polymorphism; Iran; Y-chromosome
• Online Access: https://ijph.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijph/article/view/12694
• ISSN: 2251-6085; 2251-6093

Background: We analyzed the Y-chromosome haplogroups of six documented Arab subpopulations that accommodated separately in different counties of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province but nowadays speak Indo-European language (Luri and Farsi). Methods: This was an outcome study conducted in 2015 to test whether there was any genetic relatedness among some Indo-European-speaking Arab subpopulation accommodated in a geographically similar region, Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province, Iran. Seven main Y-chromosome bi-allelic markers were genotyped in six documented Arab subpopulations. Therefore, after DNA extraction from blood samples, PCR reaction carried out by designed primers for J1-M267, J2-M172, and J-M304, I-M170, IJ-M429, F-M89 and K-M9 markers. Then PCR products after quality control on agarose gel were sequenced. Results: Most subjects (83.3%) belonged to F-M89 haplogroup. These subjects belonged to K-M9 (40%), J2-M172 (40%) and I-M170 (20%). Generally, there were at least three genetically distinct ancestors with a divergence date of about 22200 yr for I, 429000 for J and 47400 before present for K haplogroup and may show separate historical migrations of studied populations. As the most recent common ancestor (MRCA) of most of these populations, haplogroup F, lived about 40000-50000 yr ago, the data do not support a nearly close genetic relationship among all of these populations. However, there were populations with same haplogroups J2 (n=2), K (n=2), or with a closer MRCA, IJ haplogroups, among I and J2 haplogroups. Finding haplogroup I, a specific European haplogroup, among Arab populations was not expected. Conclusion: Identification of various haplogroups in Arab subpopulations despite its small area and geographically conserved region of this part of Iranian plateau was unexpected.