Genetic studies on two Iranian ethnic groups using three VNTRs as highly polymorphic DNA loci

Variable numbers of tandemly repeated (VNTRs) DNA sequences are the highly polymorphic minisatellite. These markers are multiallelic and have variation either at the length of the repeats or in the core sequences. In genetic population studies VNTRs could be as informative marker to evaluate genetic variation among human population. In the present study we chose three minisatellite loci D1S80, D17S5 and D19S20 based on mentioned criteria Allele frequencies distributions of three polymorphisms were analyzed in two Iranian ethnic groups namely Lurestan and Sistan- va- Baluchestan. This study is a part of national project which is to assess human genome diversity among Iranian population. Lurs are belonging to ethnic group who live mostly in west of Iran in Lurestan province.Their language forms a dialect of Persian and does not differ materially from Persian. Also in the Southeast of Iran in Sistān va Balūchestān province, the people who live there are mostly Balōchi and speak the Baluchi language and Sistan name come from old persian name Sakestana for Saka race. DNA samples was used to amplify VNTR markers by polymerase chain reaction. All fragments were checked on polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE). These studies in comparison with investigation on other Iranian ethnic groups have shown that, in general, genetic differentiation in Iranian population groups is high. We found that Iran have high level of Gst and then genetic differentiation in studied groups is high, more investigation are in progress about other ethnic groups.