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Meta-Analysis
. 2022 Jun 22;63(3):231-243.
doi: 10.3325/cmj.2022.63.231.

Genetic sub-structuring of Croatian island populations in the Southeastern European context: a meta-analysis

Natalija Novokmet  1 , Ana Galov, Vedrana Škaro, Petar Projić, Jelena Šarac, Dubravka Havaš Auguštin, Pavao Rudan, Dragan Primorac, Damir Marjanović
Affiliations
Meta-Analysis

Genetic sub-structuring of Croatian island populations in the Southeastern European context: a meta-analysis

Natalija Novokmet et al. Croat Med J. .

Abstract

Aim: To use the method of meta-analysis to assess the influence of island population isolation on the sub-structuring of the Croatian population, as well as the influence of regional population groups on the sub-structuring of the Southeastern European population with regard to basic population genetic statistical parameters calculated by using STR locus analysis.

Methods: Bio-statistical analyses were performed for 2877 unrelated participants of both sexes from Southeastern Europe. Nine autosomal STR loci (D3S1358, vWA, FGA, TH01, TPOX, CSF1PO, D5S818, D13S317, and D7S82) were analyzed by using standard F-statistics and population structure analysis (Structure software).

Results: Genetic differentiation of Croatian subpopulations assessed with the FST method was higher at the level of the Croatian population (0.005) than at the level of Southeastern Europe (0.002). The island of Vis showed the most pronounced separation in the Croatian population, and Albanians from Kosovo in the population of Southeast Europe, followed by Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Hungary.

Conclusion: The higher structure of Croatian subpopulations in relation to Southeastern Europe suggest a certain degree of genetic isolation, most likely due to the influence of endogamy within rural island populations.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Division of the sample into two hierarchical groups (left) and geographical position of the investigated Croatian subpopulations (right). NDI – North Dalmatian islands.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Clustering dendrogram for Croatian subpopulations obtained by Ward’s method (Ward et al. 1963). NDI – North Dalmatian islands.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Clustering dendrogram obtained by Ward's method (Ward et al. 1963) based on genetic distances (FST) between 10 populations of Southeast Europe with clusters K1, K2, and K3.
Figure 4
Figure 4
The population structure analysis of studied islands (n = 733) obtained by using the Structure 2.3.3 program and assuming an increasing number (3 to 7) of discriminating clusters. Each individual is represented by a vertical line consisting of K segments (each K segment is represented by a different color). The length of the segments is proportional to the estimated proportion in the statistically determined genetic group. Of all 10 runs, the ones with the highest value of ln (PD) for K = 3, K = 4, K = 5, K = 6, and K = 7 are shown graphically. *North Dalmatian islands: Ugljan, Pašman, Dugi otok.
Figure 5
Figure 5
The population structure analysis of the studied Southeast European populations previously defined as 10 populations and presented by the Structure 2.3.3 program assuming an increasing number (3 to 7) of discriminating clusters. Each individual is represented by a vertical line consisting of K segments (each K segment is represented by a different color), and the length of these segments is proportional to the estimated share in the statistically determined genetic group. Since the sample size disparity may affect the determination of population structure (40), the total number of samples for Croatian population (n = 1230) was reduced (n = 158). Samples were randomly selected. *B&H – Bosnia and Herzegovina
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