Reduced variability in Y-chromosome-specific haplotypes for some Central African populations.

Abstract

Only 7 nonrare haplotypes concerning Y-chromosome-specific TaqI fragments recognized by DNA probes p49f and p49a were encountered in 433 individuals belonging to 7 populations living in central Africa. Most of the haplotypes (77.7%) are characterized by the allelic combination A1,C0,D0,F1,I1 (haplotype IV). The degree of variability displayed by these sequences is low in the African population studied, compared with Europeans, probably because of the recent common origin of the Bantu-speaking populations studied and the common practice of male polygamy in Africa.