Haplotype frequencies and mutation rates for 17 Y-STRs in a sample from Mendoza province (Argentina)

A sample of 566 unrelated males from Mendoza province was typed for 12 Y-STRs loci, 237 of these males were typed for 17 Y-STRs. When analyzing only the minimal haplotype of 9 Y-STRs we found a total of 398 different haplotypes, of which 317 were unique, and the haplotype diversity was 0.9931. If we analyzed the 12 Y-STRs, which make up the extended haplotype, we observed that 87% of the total of 470 different haplotypes are unique, and the haplotype diversity was 0.9989. In the 237 males typed with 17 Y-STRs included in the AmpFISTR YFiler Amplification Kit (AB Applied Biosystems), we found 226 different haplotypes of which 96% are unique, and the most frequent haplotype appears only 3 times in the study population. On the other hand, in a total of 173 father/son pairs, mutations were observed in DYS389I/II, DYS385a/b, DYS439 and DYS458 markers. In addition, there were duplications on DYS19 and DYS437 markers. However, the mutation rates are similar to those already described. The comparison between our data and previous one from Mendoza, other Argentinean provinces and different world populations, reflected a similar haplotype distribution to that depicted by European populations. The most frequent haplotype is the modal for the European haplogroup R1b, this supports its European origin. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.