Biomedical subjects

Qing-Peng Kong

Publications and source records attributed to Qing-Peng Kong.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2003

Mitochondrial DNA sequence polymorphisms of five ethnic populations from northern China.

To study the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) polymorphisms in a total of 232 individuals from five ethnic populations (Daur, n=45; Ewenki, n=47; Korean, n=48; Mongolian, n=48; Oroqen, n=44) in northern China, we analyzed the control region sequences and typed for a number of characteristic mutations in coding regions (especially the region 14576-16047), by direct sequencing or restriction-fragment-length-polymorphism (RFLP) analysis. With the exception of 14 individuals belonging to the European-specific haplogroups R2, H, J, and T, the mtDNAs considered could be assigned into the East Asian-specific haplogroups described recently. The polymorphisms in cytochrome b sequence were found to be very informative for defining or supporting the haplogroups status of East Asian mtDNAs in addition to the reported regions 10171-10659 and 14055-14590 in our previous study. The haplogroup distribution frequencies varied in the five ethnic populations, but in general they all harbored a large amount of north-prevalent haplogroups, such as D, G, C, and Z, and thus were in agreement with their ethnohistory of northern origin. The two populations (Ewenki and Oroqen) with small population census also show concordant features in their matrilineal genetic structures, with lower genetic diversities observed.

Asian People↗

PubMed2003

Phylogeny of east Asian mitochondrial DNA lineages inferred from complete sequences.

The now-emerging mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) population genomics provides information for reconstructing a well-resolved mtDNA phylogeny and for discerning the phylogenetic status of the subcontinentally specific haplogroups. Although several major East Asian mtDNA haplogroups have been identified in studies elsewhere, some of the most basal haplogroups, as well as numerous minor subhaplogroups, were not yet determined or fully characterized. To fill the lacunae, we selected 48 mtDNAs from >2,000 samples across China for complete sequencing that cover virtually all (sub)haplogroups discernible to date in East Asia. This East Asian mtDNA phylogeny can henceforth serve as a solid basis for phylogeographic analyses of mtDNAs, as well as for studies of mitochondrial diseases in East and Southeast Asia.

Asia↗

PubMed2003

Reconstructing the evolutionary history of China: a caveat about inferences drawn from ancient DNA.

The decipherment of the meager information provided by short fragments of ancient mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is notoriously difficult but is regarded as a most promising way toward reconstructing the past from the genetic perspective. By haplogroup-specific hypervariable segment (HVS) motif search and matching or near-matching with available modern data sets, most of the ancient mtDNAs can be tentatively assigned to haplogroups, which are often subcontinent specific. Further typing for mtDNA haplogroup-diagnostic coding region polymorphisms, however, is indispensable for establishing the geographic/genetic affinities of ancient samples with less ambiguity. In the present study, we sequenced a fragment (approximately 982 bp) of the mtDNA control region in 76 Han individuals from Taian, Shandong, China, and we combined these data with previously reported samples from Zibo and Qingdao, Shandong. The reanalysis of two previously published ancient mtDNA population data sets from Linzi (same province) then indicates that the ancient populations had features in common with the modern populations from south China rather than any specific affinity to the European mtDNA pool. Our results highlight that ancient mtDNA data obtained under different sampling schemes and subject to potential contamination can easily create the impression of drastic spatiotemporal changes in the genetic structure of a regional population during the past few thousand years if inappropriate methods of data analysis are employed.

Asian People↗

PubMed2002

Mitochondrial DNA 5178A polymorphism and longevity.

Previous studies have shown that mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) 5178 adenine/cytosine (5178A) polymorphism, which is one of the haplogroup-specific mutations for mtDNA haplogroup D, was apparently associated with aging and longevity in humans. We genotyped the 5178A in 293 samples representing three age groups (Old, n=95; Young, n=103; and Infant, n=95) from Yunnan Province, China. The distribution frequency of the 5178A in the Old samples (16.84%) is slightly higher than in those of the Young (13.59%) and Infant (15.79%), but the frequency difference between the age groups is far from being statistically significant ( P>0.05). Our results fail to support the suggestion of association between mtDNA 5178A (or haplogroup D) and longevity.

Adult↗

PubMed2002

Phylogeographic differentiation of mitochondrial DNA in Han Chinese.

To characterize the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) variation in Han Chinese from several provinces of China, we have sequenced the two hypervariable segments of the control region and the segment spanning nucleotide positions 10171-10659 of the coding region, and we have identified a number of specific coding-region mutations by direct sequencing or restriction-fragment-length-polymorphism tests. This allows us to define new haplogroups (clades of the mtDNA phylogeny) and to dissect the Han mtDNA pool on a phylogenetic basis, which is a prerequisite for any fine-grained phylogeographic analysis, the interpretation of ancient mtDNA, or future complete mtDNA sequencing efforts. Some of the haplogroups under study differ considerably in frequencies across different provinces. The southernmost provinces show more pronounced contrasts in their regional Han mtDNA pools than the central and northern provinces. These and other features of the geographical distribution of the mtDNA haplogroups observed in the Han Chinese make an initial Paleolithic colonization from south to north plausible but would suggest subsequent migration events in China that mainly proceeded from north to south and east to west. Lumping together all regional Han mtDNA pools into one fictive general mtDNA pool or choosing one or two regional Han populations to represent all Han Chinese is inappropriate for prehistoric considerations as well as for forensic purposes or medical disease studies.

Asian People↗