Genetic analysis of the mitochondrial DNA control region in Tai-Kadai-speaking Dong population in southwest China.

Background: Dong people in Southwest China are officially recognised as an ethnic group, but there has been a lack of population genetic research on this group, especially based on mitochondrial DNA data.

Aim: To study the sequences and haplogroups of the mitochondrial DNA control region in a typical Dong population, and to provide help for the construction of a forensic mitochondrial DNA analysis reference database in East Asia.

Subjects and methods: The sequences of the mitochondrial DNA control region were analysed in 200 individuals of Dong in Guizhou. The haplotype frequencies, haplogroup distribution and paired Fst values of Guizhou Dong and 51 other populations in the world were calculated and explained to explore the genetic polymorphism and population relationships.

Results: A total of 180 haplotypes were detected, with frequencies of 0.005-0.02. All haplotypes were assigned to 97 different haplogroups. The haplotype diversity and random matching probability were 0.998643 and 0.00635, respectively. The paired Fst values and correlation p values of 52 populations showed that the Guizhou Dong had the closest genetic relationship with the Henan Han and the Guizhou Miao in China, and were closest to the Punjab population in Pakistan and the Kashmiri population when compared with the world populations.

Conclusions: Our study was based on the matrilineal genetic structure of Guizhou Dong to study mitochondrial DNA, which was helpful to promote the establishment of the forensic DNA reference database in East Asia and provide reference for anthropological research.