Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-gb8f7 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-27T13:53:49.325Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Genetic structure in Cumbria

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 July 2008

D. F. Roberts
Affiliation:
Department of Human Genetics, University of Newcastle upon Tyne
L. B. Jorde
Affiliation:
Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, University of Utah Medical Center, Salt Lake City, USA
R. J. Mitchell
Affiliation:
Department of Human Genetics, University of Newcastle upon Tyne

Summary

Genetic structure of the Cumbrian population is examined from data on gene and genotype frequency distributions, on geographical location, and on population movement in two generations.

The population is genetically heterogeneous; the central Lake District particularly, and also Carlisle and the southern periphery, stand out as distinct from the remainder and from each other. Regional subdivision of the population is sufficient to lead to some increased overall homozygosity, but its effect on inbreeding is considerably lower than the inbreeding level within regions, the latter being highest in the Lake District and the southern periphery. Examination of isolation by distance shows distance to be an important determinant of genetic differentiation in Cumbria; local and regional kinship levels are similar to those in alpine Swiss areas. Migration analysis suggests the distinctness of the west coast and southern periphery, and a slight increase in kinship between regions in the last generation.

The measures of genetic distance are closely correlated with each other. The measures of kinship derived from migration frequencies between regions are highly correlated with each other, and with geographical distance, but not with genetic distance. Present migration patterns are insufficient to account for the affinities within and between regions indicated by the genetic variation. It is possible that retention of Norwegian influence over a great length of time in the central Lake District is a major contributory element in present-day genetic heterogeneity in Cumbria.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © 1981, Cambridge University Press

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Cavalli-Sforza, L.L. & Bodmer, W.F. (1971) The Genetics of Human Populations. Freeman, San Francisco.Google Scholar
Edwards, A.W.F. (1971a) Distance between populations on the basis of gene frequencies. Biometrics, 27, 873.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Edwards, A.W.F. (1971b) Mathematical approaches to the study of human evolution. In: Mathematics in the Archaeological and Historical Sciences, p. 347. Edited by Hodson, P. R., Kendall, D. G. & Taubu, P.. Aldine-Atherton, Chicago.Google Scholar
Harpending, H.C. & Jenkins, T. (1973) Genetic distances among southern African populations. In: Methods and Theories of Anthropological Genetics, p. 177. Edited by Crawford, M. H. & Workman, P. L.. University of New Mexico Press, Albuquerque.Google Scholar
Harpending, H.C. & Jenkins, T. (1974) !Kung population structure. In: Genetic Distance, p. 137. Edited by Crow, J. F. & Denniston, C. F.. Plenum, New York.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hiorns, R.W., Harrison, G.A. & Gibson, J.B. (1977) Genetic variation in some Oxfordshire villages. Ann. hum. Biol. 4, 197.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Imaizumi, Y. (1974) Genetic structure in the United Kingdom. Hum. Hered. 24, 151.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Imaizumi, Y., Morton, N.E. & Harris, D.E. (1970) Isolation by distance in artificial populations. Genetics, 66, 569.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Jorde, L.B. (1980) The structure of subdivided populations: a review. In: Current Developments in Anthropological Genetics; Ecology and Population Structure, p. 133. Edited by Mielke, J. H. & Crawford, M. H.. Plenum, New York.Google Scholar
Lalouel, J.M. (1973) Topology of population structure, In: Genetic Structure of Populations, p. 139. Edited by Morton, N. E.. University of Hawaii Press, Honolulu.Google Scholar
Malecot, G. (1950) Quelques schémas probabilistes sur la variabilité des populations naturelles. Ann. Univ. Lyon Sci. 13, 37.Google Scholar
Malecot, G. (1959) Les modeles stochastiques en genetique de population. Publ. Inst. Statist. Univ. Paris, 8, 173.Google Scholar
Morton, N.E., Miki, C. & Yee, S. (1968) Bioassay of population structure under isolation by distance. Am. J. hum. Genet. 20, 411.Google Scholar
Mourant, A.E., Kopec, A.C. & Domaniewska-Sobczak, K. (1976) The Distribution of the Human Blood Groups and Other Polymorphisms, 2nd edn. Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Roberts, D.F., Mitchell, R.J., Creen, C.K. & Jorde, L.B. (1981) Genetic variation in Cumbrians. Ann. hum. Biol. 8, in press.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Roberts, D.F., Roberts, M.J. & Cowie, J.A. (1979) Inbreeding levels in Orkney islanders. J. biosoc. Sci. 11, 391.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Sanghvi, L.D. (1953) Comparison of genetical and morphological methods for the study of biological differences. Am. J.phys. Anthrop. 11, 385.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Skolnick, M., Cavalli-Sforza, L.L., Moroni, A. & Siria, E. (1976) A preliminary analysis of the genealogy of Parma Valley, Italy. In: The Demographic Evolution of Human Populations, p. 95. Edited by Ward, R. H. & Weiss, K. M.. Academic Press, London.Google Scholar
Wahlund, S. (1928) Zusammensetzung von Populationen und Korrelationserscheinungen vom Standpunkt der Vererbungslehre aus betrachtet. Hereditas, 11, 65.Google Scholar
Workman, P.L., Harpending, H.C., Lalouel, J.M., Lynch, C., Niswander, J.D. & Singleton, R. (1973). Population studies on Southwestern Indian tribes, VI. Papago population structure: a comparison of genetic and migration analyses. In: Genetic Structure of Populations, p. 166. Edited by Morton, N. E.. University of Hawaii Press, Honolulu.Google Scholar
Workman, P.L. & Jorde, L.B. (1978) The genetic structure of the Aland islands. In: Population Structure and Genetic Disease, p. 487. Edited by Erikkson, A. W., Forsius, H., Nevanlinna, H. R. & Workman, P. L., Academic Press, London.Google Scholar
Workman, P.L., Mielke, J.H. & Nevanlinna, H.R. (1976) The genetic structure of Finland. Am. J.phys. Anthrop. 44, 341.Google Scholar
Workman, P.L., & Niswander, J.D. (1970) Population studies on Southwestern Indian tribes. II. Local genetic differentiation in the Papago. Am. J. hum. Genet. 22, 24.Google ScholarPubMed