Whole Genome Sequencing of Four Representatives From the Admixed Population of the United Arab Emirates

Abstract

Whole genome sequences (WGS) of four nationals of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) at an average coverage of 33X have been completed and described. The selection of suitable subpopulation representatives was informed by a preceding comprehensive population structure analysis. Representatives were chosen based on their central location within the subpopulation on a principal component analysis (PCA) and the degree to which they were admixed. Novel genomic variations among the different subgroups of the UAE population are reported here. Specifically, the WGS analysis identified 4,161,067-4,798,806 variants in the four individual samples, where approximately 80% were single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and 20% were insertions or deletions (indels). An average of 2.75% was found to be novel variants according to dbSNP (build 151). This is the first report of structural variants (SV) from WGS data from UAE nationals. There were 15,677-20,339 called SVs, of which around 13.5% were novel. The four samples shared 1,399,178 variants, each with distinct variants as follows: 1,085,524 (for the individual denoted as UAE S011), 1,228,559 (UAE S012), 791,072 (UAE S013), and 906,818 (UAE S014). These results show a previously unappreciated population diversity in the region. The synergy of WGS and genotype array data was demonstrated through variant annotation of the former using 2.3 million allele frequencies for the local population derived from the latter technology platform. This novel approach of combining breadth and depth of array and WGS technologies has guided the choice of population genetic representatives and provides complementary, regionalized allele frequency annotation to new genomes comprising millions of loci.

Characterizing the diversity of MHC conserved extended haplotypes using families from the United Arab Emirates

“…The first whole genomes analysis of two UAE nationals 42 , 43 has provided insights into the genomic structure and the putative genetic origins of its population. Following that, a comprehensive, large-scale stratification study of the UAE population concluded that genetic admixture throughout the Arabian Peninsula's eastern shore and south-eastern tip happened gradually and without clear social stratification boundaries 43 .…”

Impact of Endometriosis in Women of Arab Ancestry on: Health-Related Quality of Life, Work Productivity, and Diagnostic Delay

“…Its pivotal geographic position allowed an influx of Arab tribes and foreign expats from the region, providing a representation of the middle eastern population (31). Admixture analysis has shown consistent patterns of the ethnicities and populations of different parts of the Middle East, demonstrating that the contemporary populations of the UAE is suitable to conduct representative epidemiological studies of the Arab population (31,32).…”

Heterogeneity in biomarkers, mitogenome and genetic disorders of Arab population with special emphasis on large-scale whole-exome sequencing

“…Metabolic quantitative trait loci identification analysis revealed genetic loci associated with pharmacological/drug targets on the consanguineous Arab population, which is important to precision P r e p r i n t medicine in the Arab world [30]. Constructing specific references sequences for a subpopulation of Arab ancestry is also important in precision medicine, the initiation of the UAE reference panel is a good initiative [22,31,32].…”