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Influences of history, geography, and religion on genetic structure: the Maronites in Lebanon

Haber, Marc, Platt, Daniel E, Badro, Danielle A, Xue, Yali, El-Sibai, Mirvat, Ashrafian Bonab, Maziar, Youhanna, Sonia C, Saade, Stephanie, Soria-Hernanz, David F, Royyuru, Ajay, Wells, R Spencer, Tyler-Smith, Chris and Zalloua, Pierre A (2011) Influences of history, geography, and religion on genetic structure: the Maronites in Lebanon. European Journal of Human Genetics, 19 (3). pp. 334-340. ISSN 1018-4813

Item Type: Article

Abstract

Cultural expansions, including of religions, frequently leave genetic traces of differentiation and in-migration. These expansions may be driven by complex doctrinal differentiation, together with major population migrations and gene flow. The aim of this study was to explore the genetic signature of the establishment of religious communities in a region where some of the most influential religions originated, using the Y chromosome as an informative male-lineage marker. A total of 3139 samples were analyzed, including 647 Lebanese and Iranian samples newly genotyped for 28 binary markers and 19 short tandem repeats on the non-recombinant segment of the Y chromosome. Genetic organization was identified by geography and religion across Lebanon in the context of surrounding populations important in the expansions of the major sects of Lebanon, including Italy, Turkey, the Balkans, Syria, and Iran by employing principal component analysis, multidimensional scaling, and AMOVA. Timing of population differentiations was estimated using BATWING, in comparison with dates of historical religious events to determine if these differentiations could be caused by religious conversion, or rather, whether religious conversion was facilitated within already differentiated populations. Our analysis shows that the great religions in Lebanon were adopted within already distinguishable communities. Once religious affiliations were established, subsequent genetic signatures of the older differentiations were reinforced. Post-establishment differentiations are most plausibly explained by migrations of peoples seeking refuge to avoid the turmoil of major historical events.

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More Information

Depositing User: Leah Maughan

Identifiers

Item ID: 12943
Identification Number: https://doi.org/10.1038/ejhg.2010.177
ISSN: 1018-4813
URI: http://sure.sunderland.ac.uk/id/eprint/12943
Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/ejhg.2010.177

Users with ORCIDS

ORCID for Maziar Ashrafian Bonab: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-9833-7976

Catalogue record

Date Deposited: 04 Jan 2021 17:00
Last Modified: 04 Jan 2021 17:00

Contributors

Author: Maziar Ashrafian Bonab ORCID iD
Author: Marc Haber
Author: Daniel E Platt
Author: Danielle A Badro
Author: Yali Xue
Author: Mirvat El-Sibai
Author: Sonia C Youhanna
Author: Stephanie Saade
Author: David F Soria-Hernanz
Author: Ajay Royyuru
Author: R Spencer Wells
Author: Chris Tyler-Smith
Author: Pierre A Zalloua

University Divisions

Faculty of Health Sciences and Wellbeing > School of Nursing and Health Sciences

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