Is urbanization scrambling the genetic structure of human populations? A case study
Open Access
- 15 November 2006
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Springer Nature in Heredity
- Vol. 98 (3) , 151-156
- https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.hdy.6800918
Abstract
Recent population expansion and increased migration linked to urbanization are assumed to be eroding the genetic structure of human populations. We investigated change in population structure over three generations by analysing both demographic and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) data from a random sample of 2351 men from 22 Iranian populations. Potential changes in genetic diversity (θ) and genetic distance (FST) over the last three generations were analysed by assigning mtDNA sequences to populations based on the individual's place of birth or that of their mother or grandmother. Despite the fact that several areas included cities of over one million inhabitants, we detected no change in genetic diversity, and only a small decrease in population structure, except in the capital city (Tehran), which was characterized by massive immigration, increased θ and a large decrease in FST over time. Our results suggest that recent erosion of human population structure might not be as important as previously thought, except in some large conurbations, and this clearly has important implications for future sampling strategies.Keywords
This publication has 24 references indexed in Scilit:
- An Icelandic example of the impact of population structure on association studiesNature Genetics, 2004
- Genetic evidence supports demic diffusion of Han cultureNature, 2004
- Assessing the impact of population stratification on genetic association studiesNature Genetics, 2004
- DnaSP, DNA polymorphism analyses by the coalescent and other methodsBioinformatics, 2003
- The Iranian Human Mutation Gene Bank: A data and sample resource for worldwide collaborative genetics researchHuman Mutation, 2003
- Genetic Structure of Human PopulationsScience, 2002
- Mitochondrial DNA sequence diversity in two groups of Italian Veneto speakers from VenetoAnnals of Human Genetics, 2001
- Autosomal, mtDNA, and Y-Chromosome Diversity in Amerinds: Pre- and Post-Columbian Patterns of Gene Flow in South AmericaAmerican Journal of Human Genetics, 2000
- Y Chromosomes Traveling South: The Cohen Modal Haplotype and the Origins of the Lemba—the “Black Jews of Southern Africa”American Journal of Human Genetics, 2000
- Use of Unlinked Genetic Markers to Detect Population Stratification in Association StudiesAmerican Journal of Human Genetics, 1999