Reconstructing History: The Amazonian Mura Indians

Document Type

Article

Authors

F.M. Salzano, Departamento de Genética, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul
S.M. Callegari-Jacques, 2Departamento de Estatística, Instituto de Matemática, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul
M.A. Mestriner, Departamento de Genética, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Campus Universitário
T.A. Weimer, Departamento de Genética, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul
M.H.L.P. Franco, Departamento de Genética, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul
L. Schüller, Departamento de Genética, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, 4Unidade de Genética Médica, Hospital de Clínicas, Ramiro Barcellos
M.L. Harada, Departamento de Genética, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Campus Universitário do Guamá
H. Schneider, Departamento de Genética, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Campus Universitário do Guamá
M.H. Hutz, Departamento de Genética, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul
M.J.M. Freitas, 6Laboratório de Genética, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Amazonas, Cidade Universiáiria

Abstract

We studied demographic characteristics of two Mura Indian villages. Two-hundred six inhabitants of these villages and another population were tested in relation to 30 blood and 4 saliva genetic systems. These groups exhibit high mobility and exogamy rates and high fertility but relatively low mortality and variance in number of children per woman. Hb J Oxford and albumin Maku were observed, and they show high prevalences of GPT*1 and RH*R1 but low of HP*1 compared to other South American Indians. Four electrophoretic saliva systems are reported here for the first time in a predominantly Amerindian group. The amount of polymorphism was more limited than that found in Caucasian, black, and Oriental populations. The Mura are still predominantly Indian (82%) but have African (11%) and Caucasoid (7%) admixture. Using these values, the putative ancestral Mura gene frequencies were assessed. Problems related to quantitative estimations of admixture and the factors that influence the process are discussed.

Recommended Citation

Salzano, F.M.; Callegari-Jacques, S.M.; Mestriner, M.A.; Weimer, T.A.; Franco, M.H.L.P.; Schüller, L.; Harada, M.L.; Schneider, H.; Hutz, M.H.; and Freitas, M.J.M. (1990) "Reconstructing History: The Amazonian Mura Indians," Human Biology: Vol. 62: Iss. 5, Article 2.
Available at: https://digitalcommons.wayne.edu/humbiol/vol62/iss5/2