Genotyping of ۳۴ SNP informative autosomal marker for use in the genealogy of Zoroastrian populations in Iran

Background and Aim: Using single nucleotide polymorphisms to deduce the genetic ancestry of a population is a powerful tool with high potential for research in the field of Forensic genetics. Gene Awareness Indicators (AIMs) can be used to infer an unknown individual's genetic ancestry when there is no suspect even after searching the database. Accurate determination of a person's genetic ancestry can help identify the individual by exploring the human biological components and remains. In forensic investigations, accurate inference of individual ancestry requires access to and use of reference population data.Methods: In this cross-sectional descriptive study, DNA extracted from blood samples of ۲۱ individuals with Zoroastrian ethnicity using RGDE (Genomic Rapid Extraction DNA) method. Genotyping of selected SNPs was performed using SNapShot method using ABI Genetic Analyzer ۳۱۳۰ XL. Statistical analyzes were calculated using Arlequine ۵.۳, GenALEX ۵.۶, SPSS ۲۵ and GeneMapper ۰.۵ software. Finally, the frequency of alleles and genotypes were calculated using chi-square test.Results: According to the results of the study through panel ۳۴ Plex SNPs and SNaPshot technique, we were able to determine the genetic ancestry of the studied Zoroastrians and to distinguish them from African, European and East Asian populations. Our results showed that the highest heterozygosity observed was related to P۱۹, P۲۳ and P۱۶a positions, which were obtained at ۰.۹۵۲, ۰.۹۵۰ and ۰.۹۰۵ respectively. The ability and efficacy of this method in preparing profiles of unidentified persons with damaged DNA samples was also proved.Conclusion: The results of Zoroastrian population structure analysis fall into the cluster of Central Asia and are more genetically related to its neighbors such as Pakistan, Afghanistan and Turkey.

Keywords:

Forensic genetics , Ancestry genealogy , SNPs , Iran , Zoroastrians