Mitochondrial DNA diversity among five tribal populations of southern India

Abstract

DNA samples from 160 unrelated individuals belonging to five Dravidian tribal populations of southern India were analysed for ten mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) restriction site polymorphisms (RSPs) and one insertion/deletion polymorphism. There is extensive sharing of mtDNA haplotypes among all the tribal populations studied, indicating that there was a small female founding population in India. The 9-bp deletion analysed was observed only in the Kadar population with a low frequency. The Asian-specific haplogroup M is found at a higher frequency in all the populations, thus supporting the hypothesis that this haplogroup arose in India and was carried to Africa from India. Haplogroup U is also found in all the populations and it is consistent with the theory that Dravidian-speaking populations were more widespread in India and that the Aryan-speakers pushed them to their present habitat.