Characterization of Mitochondrial DNA and Y-Chromosome Haplotypes in a Uruguayan Population of African Ancestry

Document Type

Article

Authors

Claudio M. Bravi, IMBICE
Mónica Sans, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
Graciela Bailliet, IMBICE
Verónica L. Martinez-Marignac, IMBICE
Mónica Portas, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
Isabel Barreto, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
Carolina Bonilla, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
Néstor O. Bianchi, IMBICE

Abstract

We used a set of informative mtDNA and Y-chromosomespecific markers to determine the origin of maternal and paternal lineages in a sample of 41 Uruguayan black individuals. We found that 20 maternal lineages were African, 13 were Amerindian, and 5 were Caucasian. In three individuals we were unable to determine the ethnic origin of the mtDNA lineages. Of the 22 males analyzed we found 4 Y chromosomes of African origin, 5 of Caucasian origin, and 13 of undetermined ancestry. Our results suggest that mtDNA and Y-chromosome-specific DNA variants may be a useful tool in determining the level of mtDNA and Y chromosome ethnic introgression in a population of a given ethnic origin.

Recommended Citation

Bravi, Claudio M.; Sans, Mónica; Bailliet, Graciela; Martinez-Marignac, Verónica L.; Portas, Mónica; Barreto, Isabel; Bonilla, Carolina; and Bianchi, Néstor O. (1997) "Characterization of Mitochondrial DNA and Y-Chromosome Haplotypes in a Uruguayan Population of African Ancestry," Human Biology: Vol. 69: Iss. 5, Article 4.
Available at: https://digitalcommons.wayne.edu/humbiol/vol69/iss5/4