engleski

Impact of migration history on Croatian Roma gene pool

The Institute for Anthropological Research has undertaken multidisciplinary anthropological, molecular-genetic and epidemiological investigations of Roma populations in Croatia in order to gain results which will improve living and health conditions of Roma in Croatia and contribute to better inclusion of Roma communities in society. In order to collect research data we carried out several field studies in Roma settlements of three socio-culturally different Roma groups (two groups of Bayash/Vlax Roma, speaking two distinct dialects of archaic Romanian language – the Baranja group speaks mostly the Muntean dialect, the Međimurje group uses Ardelean, and Balkan Roma Romani chib). Since genetic history is an important part of Roma population identity, one of our main goals was to determine genetic structure of Roma populations in Croatia by analyzing different DNA markers (mtDNA, autosomal-STR, Y-STR and X-STR loci). Due to their different inheritance pattern the analyses of ancestrally informative markers (Y-chromosome and mtDNA) elucidated full genetic structure of Roma populations in Croatia. The analyses of Y chromosome and mtDNA confirmed the Indian origin of all Roma populations in Croatia and their subsequent on route isolation. The population of Bayash Roma harbored unique maternal lineages which implies long isolation period among different Roma groups. Analyses of autosomal STR loci showed significantly lower gene diversity in Roma populations in comparison with geographically proximal majority population and low gene flow among Roma populations and majority population, while the analyses of X chromosome STR loci showed LD values characteristic for isolates. All three investigated population groups show common Indian origin and admixture with majority population. Nevertheless, intra and interpopulation analyses suggest significant differences among investigated populations in terms of different degree of endogamy, accompanied by the genetic drift, and different sources of admixture and migration routes. Since the endogamy shapes the genetic structure of Roma populations in Croatia we have extended our genetic investigation on the genes which are responsible for absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion of drugs (ADME genes) and significantly differentiate among populations. The general objective of our on-going project is to determine the variations of ADME genes in the Roma minority population of Croatia. Our assessment of Roma’ unique genetic profile will contribute to the medical practice through the modulation of pharmacotherapy in Roma population and highlight the population uniqueness in ADME genes profile, which will, hopefully, encourage similar studies of this minority population estimated to around 15 million people.

Roma, migration

nije evidentirano