Molecular Anthropology: Population and Forensic Genetic Applications

Molecular anthropology the study of human genetic polymorphisms is fast and ever-growing branch of anthropology that holds a great promise for both past and future. Indian subcontinent with its remarkable environmental, geographical, morphological, genetic, cultural and linguistic diversity provides immense promise for anthropological investigations to address origins of its people, population movements, analysis of genetic architecture in human diseases and gene-environment interactions. Several types of DNA polymorphisms have been discovered in the human genome and have been found to be very productive in addressing molecular anthropological questions. This paper traces the usage of some of these polymorphisms in the study of populations of India. Using a battery of Alu insertion polymorphisms, genetic structure and affinities of North and Western Indian populations are evaluated. Alu polymorphisms are also used to investigate the origin of the Sinhalese of Sri Lanka. In addition, forensic applications of Alu polymorphisms are demonstrated. These results suggest that there is fundamental genomic unity among Indian populations and geographic location, caste affiliation and migration/gene flow contribute significantly to the observed genetic variation in contemporary populations. Author’s Address: Dr. Sarabjit Mastana, Human Genetics Labortary, Department of Human Sciences, Loughborough University, Loughborough LE11 3TU, UK Telephone: +44-1509-223041, Fax: +44-1509-223940, E-mail: [email protected] © Kamla-Raj Enterprises 2007Anthropology Today: Trends, Scope and Applications Anthropologist Special Volume No. 3: 373-383 (2007)Veena Bhasin & M.K. Bhasin, Guest Editors