Skip to main content
PMC home page
American Journal of Human Genetics logoLink to American Journal of Human Genetics
. 1975 Jan;27(1):1–30.

The genetic structure of a tribal population, the Yanomama Indians XI. Gene frequencies for 10 blood groups and the ABH-Le secretor traits in the Yanomama and their neighbors; the uniqueness of the tribe.

R H Ward, H Gershowitz, M Layrisse, J V Neel
PMCID: PMC1762774  PMID: 50736

Abstract

In this paper we present the results of blood group typings for a total of 33 villages distributed among five South American Indian tribes--Yanomama (21 villages), Makiritare (eight villages), Macushi (two villages), Piaroa (one village), and Wapishana (one village). These new results for the Yanomama and Makiritare tribes have been combined with those previously reported to allow a better appreciation of the distribution of allelic frequencies in the tribes. The relationship of the Yanomama to other South American Indian tribes is investigated using data on six polymorphic loci (Rh, MNS, Fy, Jk, Di, Hp). By use of four genetic measures (two of genetic relationship and two of genetic diversity), we demonstrate that the Yanomama are genetically unique among a sample of 20 South American tribes. In addition, the Yanomama show somewhat less genetic diversity for the six loci analyzed than the average South American tribe. Taken together, these results indicate a rather long period of isolation for the population antecedent to the Yanomama--perhaps since the time of entry of man into the South American continent. The pattern of genetic relationships and genetic diversity for the 20 tribes is consistent with the hypothesis that evolution in South America proceeded by a process of fission-fusion leading to isolation of subpopulations with subsequent genetic differentiation as a consequence of population isolation. The uniqueness of the Yanomama appears to stem entirely from such a process, there being no evidence of any selective differential for the loci analyzed.

Full text

PDF
29

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Cavalli-Sforza L. L., Edwards A. W. Phylogenetic analysis. Models and estimation procedures. Am J Hum Genet. 1967 May;19(3 Pt 1):233–257. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Chagnon N. A., Neel J. V., Weitkamp L., Gershowitz H., Ayres M. The influence of cultural factors on the demography and pattern of gene flow from the Makiritare to the Yanomama Indians. Am J Phys Anthropol. 1970 May;32(3):339–349. doi: 10.1002/ajpa.1330320304. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Edwards A. W. Distances between populations on the basis of gene frequencies. Biometrics. 1971 Dec;27(4):873–881. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Fitch W. M., Neel J. V. The phylogenic relationships of some Indian tribes of Central and South America. Am J Hum Genet. 1969 Jul;21(4):384–397. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Gershowitz H., Layrisse M., Layrisse Z., Neel J. V., Brewer C., Chagnon N., Ayres M. Gene frequencies and microdifferentiation among the Makiritare Indians. I. Eleven blood group systems and the ABH-Le secretor traits: a note on Rh gene frequency determinations. Am J Hum Genet. 1970 Sep;22(5):515–525. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Gershowitz H., Layrisse M., Layrisse Z., Neel J. V., Chagnon N., Ayres M. The genetic structure of a tirbal population, the Vanomama Indians. II. Eleven blood-group systems and the ABH-Le secretor traits. Ann Hum Genet. 1972 Mar;35(3):261–269. doi: 10.1111/j.1469-1809.1957.tb01400.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Gower J. C. A comparison of some methods of cluster analysis. Biometrics. 1967 Dec;23(4):623–637. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Johnston F. E., Blumberg B. S., Kensinger K. M., Jantz R. L., Walker G. F. Serum protein polymorphisms among the Peruvian Cashinahua. Am J Hum Genet. 1969 Jul;21(4):376–383. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Johnston F. E., Jantz R. L., Kensinger K. M., Walker G. F., Allen F. H., Jr, Walker M. E. Red cell blood groups of the Peruvian Cashinahua. Hum Biol. 1968 Dec;40(4):508–516. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Layrisse Z., Layrisse M., Gershowitz H. Blood typing studies in American Indians: misclassification of RZ phenotypes. Am J Phys Anthropol. 1970 May;32(3):465–470. doi: 10.1002/ajpa.1330320318. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Lewontin R. C., Krakauer J. Distribution of gene frequency as a test of the theory of the selective neutrality of polymorphisms. Genetics. 1973 May;74(1):175–195. doi: 10.1093/genetics/74.1.175. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Neel J. V., Rothhammer F., Lingoes J. C. The genetic structure of a tribal population, the Yanomama Indians. X. Agreement between representations of village distances based on different sets of characteristics. Am J Hum Genet. 1974 May;26(3):281–303. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Neel J. V., Ward R. H. The genetic structure of a tribal population, the Yanomama Indians. VI. Analysis by F-statistics (including a comparison with the Makiritare and Xavante). Genetics. 1972 Dec;72(4):639–666. doi: 10.1093/genetics/72.4.639. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Neel J. V., Ward R. H. Village and tribal genetic distances among American Indians, and the possible implications for human evolution. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1970 Feb;65(2):323–330. doi: 10.1073/pnas.65.2.323. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. SALZANO F. M. SALIVARY SECRETIONS OF INDIANS FROM SANTA CATARINA, BRAZIL. Am J Hum Genet. 1964 Sep;16:301–310. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Salzano F. M., Gershowitz H., Junqueira P. C., Woodall J. P., Black F. L., Hierholzer W. Blood groups and H-Le a salivary secretion of Brazilian Cayapo Indians. Am J Phys Anthropol. 1972 May;36(3):417–425. doi: 10.1002/ajpa.1330360313. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Salzano F. M., Neel J. V., Weitkamp L. R., Woodall J. P. Serum proteins, hemoglobins and erythrocyte enzymes of Brazilian Cayapo Indians. Hum Biol. 1972 Sep;44(3):443–458. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Spielman R. S., Migliazza E. C., Neel J. V. Regional linguistic and genetic differences among Yanomama indians. Science. 1974 May 10;184(4137):637–644. doi: 10.1126/science.184.4137.637. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Tanis R. J., Neel J. V., Dovey H., Morrow M. The genetic structure of a tribal population, the Yanomama Indians. IX. Gene frequencies for 18 serum protein and erythrocyte enzyme systems in the Yanomama and five neighboring tribes: nine new variants. Am J Hum Genet. 1973 Nov;25(6):655–676. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Ward R. H., Neel J. V. Gene frequencies and microdifferentiation among the Makiritare Indians. IV. A comparison of a genetic network with ethnohistory and migration matrices; a new index of genetic isolation. Am J Hum Genet. 1970 Sep;22(5):538–561. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Ward R. H. The genetic structure of a tribal population, the Yanomama Indians. V. Comparisons of a series of genetic networks. Ann Hum Genet. 1972 Jul;36(1):21–43. doi: 10.1111/j.1469-1809.1972.tb00579.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from American Journal of Human Genetics are provided here courtesy of American Society of Human Genetics

RESOURCES