Genetic Variation of Island Melanesia

Temple University, Philadelphia PA

Investigators

Abstract

An unexpected finding of recent genetics research is that humans are remarkably homogeneous, belying old racial stereotypes. The region with the greatest established variation is sub-Saharan Africa, which implies this is the place of origin of our species. Mitochondrial genetic variation has provided the best illustration of this pattern. This pilot project will help determine how mitochondrial variation in another region - the Western Pacific - the "Melanesians" of Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands, compares with genetic variation in Africa. This group of researchers has identified a number of new mitochondrial genetic variants there, which suggest these populations are very ancient as well. The pilot project will compare these variants systematically and more thoroughly with other currently "unclassified" variants from Australian aborigines and south Asians, which may be related. Longer sequences of mitochondrial DNA (1,100 base pairs) and a uniform coverage of more variable regions (with high resolution RFLP analysis) on a selection of the candidate samples will answer these questions of similarity once and for all. This pilot project will provide the basis for deciding if more intensive genetic analysis in the Western Pacific is warranted. If, as the researchers believe, they have identified a genetically highly variable set of populations, it will be important to expand the analysis to other parts of the human genome - to the Y, X and to genes on other chromosomes, on a larger sample of populations. Unraveling the genetic history of this region is essential in providing a comparative base for similar studies in Africa, as well as Europe, Asia, and the Americas, where the trails of ancient population movements have been obliterated to a greater degree. The project will involve promotion of graduate training in molecular genetic methods for minority women and international collaboration.