No abstract

This study offers the first report on variation sequence of the mitochondrial cytochrome b (MT-CYTB) gene in populations from Bosnia (northeastern Bosnia). This study was designed on the analysis of the genetic diversity of two populations of different cultural-anthropological and genetic origin, Roma population and native/non-Roma population. The main aim of our study was to estimate the usefulness of the CYTB sequence in the analysis of genetic categorization of different populations and intergroup diversity, as well as to provide some additional information on haplogroup-associated polymorphisms within the CYTB region in defining haplogroup status. Estimation of the genetic diversity was done using intra and intergroup genetic indices. The population-specific polymorphisms have been found in both categories of the populations. The results of the analysis of genetic differentiation show significant pairwise Fst differences between the Romani and native populations. Also, registered significant genetic differentiation is illustrated on the level of genetic variation between subpopulations of the Roma and non-Roma origin. The important result in our study is the confirmation of the significance of the triad of polymorphisms T14783C-G15043A-G15301A, indicating the influence of Asian component of the maternal gene pool on the genetic structure of the studied population of the Roma. Our data show that the haplogroup polymorphisms exist in the CYTB region and can provide useful information on the haplogroups that were defined only by the control region of the mtDNA. The results of this study indicate the region of CYTB gene can be a benefit in providing some additional information in the analysis of genetic structure of human populations and can be additionally applied in population studies.

This study is the first report on the mtDNA profile of human settlements of the Konjuh and Majevica mountains of northeastern Bosnia. The aims of this study were: a) determination of mitochondrial genetic structure of populations of the Konjuh and Majevica mountains of northeastern Bosnia; b) detection of trace of ancient of mtDNA variations; and c) assessment of genetic relations with other Bosnian and Herzegovina populations and neighboring populations from the Balkan region. The genetic structure of populations of Konjuh and Majevica is shaped by western Eurasian maternal signals, which may trace their ancestry to the Paleolithic, pre-Neolithic and Neolithic. Especially interesting is the feature of the Neolithic expansion in this area. This applies especially to the presence of the pre-Neolithic lineages HV*and N1a in northeastern Bosnia, which can indicate an early settlement of this region of Bosnia by pre-Neolithic populations from the Middle East. This region abounds with resources of salt sites, which might suggest in favor of the thesis that the early-Neolithic colonists needed a safe source of salts so as to settle in the Balkan area. The populations of mountains of northeastern Bosnia indicate elements of the local population history, but they do not show strict genetic closure in relation to the neighboring populations of the Balkans. This may be a consequence of the population size, degree of geographic isolation and events of migration.

This study was designed on the analysis of the mtDNA polymorphisms in three ethnic populations of Tuzla Canton of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Bosniaks, Croats and Serbs). The main aim of this study was to analyze the influences of the maternal gene flow on the genetic profile of the analyzed populations. The analysis of mtDNA variation based on relevant restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLP) in combination with HVSI variations of the control region (for detection of subhaplogroups of the haplogroup U) enabled the identification of the typical of the Western-Eurasian haplogroups (H, I, J, T, W, U, HV, HVO, K, V, and X), African/Near East lineages N1a and Asian haplogroup M. Our results suggest that mitochondrial gene pool of the three main ethnic groups of Tuzla region was shaped by influences of early and late migration routes which marked the settlement process of the Balkans. The effects of different migration directions are illustrated by the distribution of important indicators of the Late Glacial expansion (U5a), postglacial re-colonisation of Europe from glacial refuges of southwestern European (H, V, U5b1), central-eastern European Plain (U4), Italian Peninsula (U5b3) and neolithic expansion (U3, N1a, J and T). Our data can indicate a common genetic history, origin, as well as a similar contribution of the parental and maternal gene flow on genetic structure of the three main ethnic populations of modern Bosnia and Herzegovina.