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C M Calò

Publications and source records attributed to C M Calò.

10 recordsLinked to original sources

Genetic characterization of the historical Albanian ethnic minority of Calabria (southern Italy).

Three historical ethnic minorities are present in Calabria: Albanians, Greeks, and Occitans. The Albanian ethnic minority is the more populous, having settled in Calabria between the 15th and 17th centuries, and these populations are now located in the provinces of Cosenza and Catanzaro. In the present study the Albanian population structure is analyzed based on the allele frequencies of six classic genetic markers: ACP, GC, PGM1, AK, ADA, and 6PGD. The results show a significant heterogeneity between the Albanian population in Calabria and the population in Molise. Therefore the cultural and reproductive isolation of the Albanian ethnic minority of Calabria is related to a great genetic peculiarity. Moreover, the frequencies of some alleles, particularly those of the PGM*1W31 variant, and the analysis of the R matrix still show the actual peculiar genetic structure of the Albanians of Calabria, although the genetic flow is evident in the decrease of endogamy and in the increase in the degree of mixing.

Adolescent↗

Peopling of three Mediterranean islands (Corsica, Sardinia, and Sicily) inferred by Y-chromosome biallelic variability.

An informative set of biallelic polymorphisms was used to study the structure of Y-chromosome variability in a sample from the Mediterranean islands of Corsica and Sicily, and compared with data on Sardinia to gain insights into the ethnogenesis of these island populations. The results were interpreted in a broader Mediterranean context by including in the analysis neighboring populations previously studied with the same methodology. All samples studied were enclosed in the comparable spectrum of European Y-chromosome variability. Pronounced differences were observed between the islands as well as in the percentages of haplotypes previously shown to have distinctive patterns of continental phylogeography. Approximately 60% of the Sicilian haplotypes are also prevalent in Southern Italy and Greece. Conversely, the Corsican sample had elevated levels of alternative haplotypes common in Northern Italy. Sardinia showed a haplotype ratio similar to that observed in Corsica, but with a remarkable difference in the presence of a lineage defined by marker M26, which approaches 35% in Sardinia but seems absent in Corsica. Although geographically adjacent, the data suggest different colonization histories and a minimal amount of recent gene flow between them. Our results identify possible ancestral continental sources of the various island populations and underscore the influence of founder effect and genetic drift. The Y-chromosome data are consistent with comparable mtDNA data at the RFLP haplogroup level of resolution, as well as linguistic and historic knowledge.

Chromosomes, Human, Y↗

Genetic analysis of a Sicilian population using 15 short tandem repeats.

The genetic structure of the population of Alia (Sicily, Italy) was analyzed using 15 short tandem repeats: TPOX, D2S1338, D3S1358, FIBRA, D5S818, CSF1PO, D7S820, D8S1179, TH01, VWA, D13S317, D16S539, D18S51, D19S433, and D21S11. Two of these markers, D2S1338 and D19S433, have never before been used in research on population genetics and only recently have they been put to use in forensic medicine. Results of the analysis underline the genetic isolation of the Alia population and show it to be a recent bottleneck as a consequence of a cholera epidemic in 1837. While comparing the Alia population with other populations from Sicily, a genetic heterogeneity within Sicily was uncovered, thus confirming previous results obtained from the analysis of classical markers. This heterogeneity underlines the existence of genetic boundaries within the island. Comparisons with other Italian, Mediterranean, and European populations highlight the differentiation of the Sicilian population, reflecting the presence of a genetic boundary that separates Sicily from northern and central Italy and from the western Mediterranean basin.

Adult↗

Finger dermatoglyphics in the Corsican population (France).

Finger pattern types, pattern intensity indices and finger ridge counts in 110 individuals (54 males and 56 females) from Corte in the central area of Corsica (France) were investigated. The comparison of the Corsican qualitative and quantitative digital dermatoglyphics with those from other samples of Mediterranean and European countries show a clearcut difference between Corsicans and Continental Italian populations and a great affinity between Corsicans and Sardinians. These results are regarded as compatible with the interpretation of archaeological, historical and genetic evidence.

Adult↗

The polymorphism of the APOB 3' VNTR in the populations of the three largest islands of the western Mediterranean.

To enlarge the knowledge of genetic characteristics of the populations of the three largest islands of the Western Mediterranean--Corsica (France), Sardinia and Sicily (Italy)--the allele distribution of the VNTR APOB 3' locus was studied. A total of 250 individuals was examined. Twelve different alleles were found, with a minimum of 7 alleles in Sicily and a maximum of 9 alleles in the Sardinians from Campidano of Cagliari and Nuorese. The most frequent allele in all the samples is allele 37, followed by allele 35. The allele frequency distribution appears to be bimodal and the expected heterozygosity is not much higher in comparison with other populations. The polymorphic Information Content (PIC) has a value of 0.84. The Fisher exact test, the matrix of the distances and the dendrogram drawn up from it show a certain heterogeneity between the populations of the three islands, a great variability within Sardinia and a certain degree of affinity between Corsica and the north of Sardinia.

Alleles↗

HLA phenotype and haplotype frequencies in Sardinia (Italy).

The gene and haplotype frequencies of the HLA-A, B, Cw, DR and DQ loci were determined in two Sardinian samples from the Nuoro (N = 252) and Sassari (N = 153) districts. Our data were compared with those reported for other Italian, European and Mediterranean populations and previously studied Sardinian samples. The results showed that the two samples differ from other Italian and European populations in the frequencies of many alleles and haplotypes. For example in the A2, B18, Cw5 and DR3 allele frequencies and the A1-B8, A2-B17, A3-B7, A30-B18, A2-Cw7, A30-Cw5, A30-DR3, A32-DR2, Cw5-DR3 and Cw7-DR4 haplotype frequencies. In common with the Mediterranean populations, Sardinians, too, have a limited number of haplotypes with significant linkage disequilibrium. The results revealed, therefore, significant genetic differentiation between Sardinians and other European and Mediterranean populations, confirming the genetic peculiarity of the Sardinians.

Ethnicity↗

Genetics, geography, and culture: the population of S. Pietro Island (Sardinia, Italy).

An interesting aspect of the island of Sardinia (Italy) is the wide range of genetic variability within the island itself. The variability is widened by the presence of some populations of different ethnic origin who speak a language other than Sardinian. This work deals with the study of the genetic structure of the Carloforte population which inhabits the tiny island of S. Pietro 4 km off the southwest coast of Sardinia. S. Pietro was first populated in 1738 by emigrants coming from the island of Tabarka (Tunisia) who spoke an archaic form of the Ligurian dialect. Data on genetic polymorphisms in the Carloforte population are presented and discussed in relation to some Sardinian and Italian populations. Data on demographic and matrimonial structure are also presented. The genetic analyses show the Carloforte population as being clearly separated from both Sardinians and continental Italians. The isolation of Carloforte, highlighted by language diversity, endogamy, and consanguinity levels and marriage area, supports the idea of genetic diversity linked to cultural peculiarity.

Alleles↗

Mitochondrial DNA sequence analysis in Sicily.

This study reports data on the sequences of the first hypervariable segment of a sample of the Sicilian population from Alia (Palermo, Italy). The results show the presence of 32 different haplotypes in the 49 individuals examined. The average number of pairwise nucleotide differences was 4.04, i.e., 1.17% per nucleotide. The distribution of the nucleotide differences matches the theoretical distribution and indicates only one major episode of expansion that occurred between 20,732 and 59,691 years ago, between the Middle Paleolithic and Upper Paleolithic. Compared with the other populations, parameters of the Sicilian sample lie in an intermediate position between the eastern and western Mediterranean populations. This is due to numerous contacts that Sicily has had with the Mediterranean area since prehistoric times. At the same time, the singularity of some of the haplotypes present in the sample studied indicates the persistence of some characteristics caused by genetic drift and isolation that the population has endured in the course of its history.

Adult↗

Beta-globin cluster haplotypes in normal individuals and beta(0)39-thalassemia carriers from Sardinia, Italy.

Seven polymorphic sites in the beta-globin cluster in association with specific thalassemia mutations were analyzed in a sample from Sardinia, Italy. In order to verify previous works carried out on normal samples (beta(A)/beta(A)) and family studies on beta-thalassemia homozygotes individuals, the haplotype frequencies in both normal individuals (beta(A)/beta(A)) and beta(0)39-thalassemia carriers (beta(A)/beta0) were studied. In our work chromosomes carrying beta(0)39 mutation are characterized by a prevalence of haplotype II (- + + - + + +) (52%) relative to haplotype I (+- - - - + +) (29%), in contrast, among chromosomes with beta(A) the frequency of haplotype I is much greater than that of haplotype II. These data confirm what was found by other authors. Nevertheless, our results disagree with those of previous studies of Sardinians, both in frequencies values and in the numbers of haplotypes identified. Population analysis performed with samples carrying the beta-thalassemic mutation highlighted the peculiarity of Sardinians with respect to other Mediterranean populations. The Corsican population is most similar to the Sardinian population, confirming previous analyses performed with both classical markers and mitochondrial and genomic DNA.

Adult↗