A set informative multiple autosomal markers for human identification: forensic research and population genetics analysis in a Chinese Xinjiang Hui group

Abstract

In recent years, insertion/deletion (InDel) markers became a promising and useful supporting tool in forensic identification cases and biogeographic research field. In this study, 30 InDel loci were explored to reveal the genetic diversities and genetic relationships between Chinese Xinjiang Hui group and the 24 previously studied populations using varies methods such as forensic statistical parameter analysis, phylogenetic reconstruction, STRUCTURE analysis, multi-dimensional scaling, and principal component analysis. The observed heterozygosity and expected heterozygosity ranged from 0.1971 (HLD118) to 0.5092 (HLD 92), 0.2222 (HLD 114) to 0.5000 (HLD 6), respectively. Besides, after Bonferroni correction, no deviations from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium tests were found at all 30 loci in Xinjiang Hui group. The cumulative probability of exclusion and combined discrimination power were 0.988849 and 0.99999999999378, respectively, which indicated that the 30 loci could be used as complementary genetic markers for paternity test and be qualified for personal identification in forensic cases. In this study, we found that Xinjiang Hui group had close relationships with most Chinese groups, especially Han populations, and all the results based on different genetic methods we used had a strong support for this finding. The 30 InDel loci has important significance in forensic identification research, in spite of this, for a better understanding of genetic background of the Chinese Xinjiang Hui group, molecular genetic genotyping at various genetic markers is necessary in future studies.\n\nSummary StatementWe report here, a promising Individual identification and population differentiation maker which could be used in forensic cases.