Forensic Science International: Genetics 4 (2010) 271–272
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Forensic Science International: Genetics
journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/fsig
Letter to the Editor
Admixture estimates and statistical parameters of forensic
importance based on PowerPlex1 16 system in Mexican-
Mestizos from the States of Guanajuato (Center) and Veracruz
(East)
Dear Editor,
We determined the allele frequencies for 15 STR loci included
in PowerPlex1 16 System PCR amplification kit (TPOX, D3S1358,
FGA, CSF1PO, D5S818, D7S820, D8S1179, TH01, vWA, D13S317,
D16S539, D18S51, D21S11, Penta D, and Penta E) in 534
unrelated Mexican individuals, including 334 and 200 indivi-
duals from the states of Guanajuato (Center), and Veracruz
(East), respectively. Sampled individuals were self-denominated
Mestizos because anyone belonged to some specific Mexican
ethnic group. Mexican-Mestizos are the result of admixture,
principally between Native Americans and Spaniards, during
and after the Conquest of the New World; using Spanish
language as a selection criterion, they constitute ca 93% of the
present-day Mexican population [1]. DNA was extracted from
dried blood spotted on FTA paper or buccal swabs by Chelex1
100. Amplifications were carried out in 8 mL volume containing
1–2 ng of DNA template, following the manufacturer’s recom-
mendations. Amplified products were analyzed by capillary
electrophoresis using the ABI PrismTM 310 Genetic Analyzer
(Applied Biosystems, Foster City, CA). Results were analyzed
using the Genescan 3.1 and Genotyper software’s. Genotypes
were designed by comparison with allelic ladders provided with
the kit. Allele frequencies and statistical parameters of forensic
importance were computed with the software PowerStats [2].
Hardy–Weinberg expectations (HWE) for each and combined
loci were calculated by exact tests, and pairwise comparisons
(FST p-values) were performed with the software Arlequin 3.0
[3]. Bonferroni correction, according to the loci number, was
implemented to evaluate p-values of HWE test (p < 0.0033). In
order to characterize the ancestral genetic pool within Mexican-
Mestizos (admixture proportions), we implemented a super-
vised clustering method with the program STRUCTURE driving
these populations to fit into one cluster [4]. We utilized a
10,000-iteration burn-in period followed by 10,000 iterations;
with the 25 replicates obtained, we used the Cluster matching
and permutation program (CLUMPP) to identify the best
correspondence among runs [5]. For this purpose, CODIS-STR
population data from 114 Andalusians (Sothern Spain) [6], 130
Fangs (Guinea Ecuatorial) [7], and 161 Purépechas (Western
Mexico) [1] were employed to represent the African, European,
and Amerindian ancestral components, respectively.
The allele distribution and statistical parameters of forensic
importance based on PowerPlex1 16 STR system from the two
Mexican-Mestizo populations are summarized in supplementary
1872-4973/$ – see front matter ß 2009 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.fsigen.2009.09.001
Tables S1 and S2. In both samples, genotype distribution was in
agreement with Hardy–Weinberg expectations for the majority of
STRs, excepting D3S1358 and D13S317 (Guanajuato), and TH01
(Veracruz). In both populations, the genetic system had a
combined power of discrimination (PD) and power of exclusion
(PE) > 0.999999. Pairwise comparisons displayed a significant
global differentiation between these populations (p = 0.0000). In
order to establish the origin of this difference, admixture
proportions were estimated in these population samples. For
consistent comparison, only data of the 13 CODIS-STRs analyzed
in the ancestral and Mestizo populations were used for this
purpose. The percentage of Amerindian, European, and African
ancestries were estimated in 70.9%, 24.5% and 4.6% for Guana-
juato, and 81.7%, 14.1%, and 4.2% for Veracruz, respectively. The
majority of individuals from Veracruz (East) had longer Amer-
indian ancestry respect to Guanajuato (Center), which presented a
higher number of individuals with European membership
(Fig. S1). In both populations, a scarce number of individuals
had considerable African ancestry. Results demonstrate that
differences in ancestral proportions (admixture components)
support the observed differentiation between these populations,
in agreement with a recent report with CODIS-STRs in 10 Mexican
Mestizo populations [1]. This result emphasizes the importance of
employ local STR databases in forensic casework for DNA profile
interpretation throughout this country. Supplementary data
associated with this article can be found in the online version,
including Tables S1 and S2, Fig. S1, and Appendix S1 (genotype
dataset).
Appendix A. Supplementary data
Supplementary data associated with this article can be found, in
the online version, at doi:10.1016/j.fsigen.2009.09.001.
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d
H. Rangel-Villalobosa,1,* Instituto de Enfermedades Reumáticas y del
R. Rubi-Castellanosa,1 Sistema Músculo-Esquelético, Centro Universitario de Ciencias de
M.E. Morales-Vallejob la Salud (CUCS-UdeG), Universidad de Guadalajara,
V. Molina-Araujob Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico
R.A. Licea-Cadenac
S. Rizzo-Juárezc *Corresponding author at: Instituto de Investigación en
F.E. Muñiz-Lozanoc Genética Molecular, Centro Universitario de la Ciénega,
I. Nuño-Aranaa Universidad de Guadalajara (CUCI-UdeG),
J.F. Muñoz-Valled Av. Universidad # 1115, Col Paso Blanco,
a
Instituto de Investigación en Genética Molecular, CP, 47810 Ocotlán, Jal., Mexico.
Centro Universitario de la Ciénega, Tel.: +52 392 92 500 26x8363;
Universidad de Guadalajara (CUCiénega-UdeG), fax: +52 392 92 57112
Ocotlán, Jalisco, Mexico E-mail address: hrangel@cuci.udg.mx
b
Laboratorio de Genética Forense, (H. Rangel-Villalobos)
1
Dirección de Servicios Periciales de la These authors contributed equally to this work.
Procuradurı´a General de Justicia del Estado de
Guanajuato, Irapuato, Guanajuato, Mexico 3 March 2009