Legal Medicine 12 (2010) 259–264

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Legal Medicine
journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/legalmed

Announcement of Population Data

Population data for Y-chromosome haplotypes defined by 17 STRs

in South-East Romania
Florin Stanciu a,b,*, Veronica Cutßăr a, Sorina Pîrlea a, Veronica Stoian b, Ionel Marius Stoian a,
Olivia Sevastre a, Oana Raluca Popescu a
a
Forensic Science Institute, 13-15 Sßtefan cel Mare, 020123 Bucharest, Romania
b
Department of Genetics, Faculty of Biology, University of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania

a r t i c l e i n f o a b s t r a c t

Article history: Haplotypes and allele frequencies for 17 STR loci included in AmpFlSTR YFiler kit (DYS456, DYS389I,
Received 16 January 2010 DYS390, DYS389II, DYS458, DYS19, DYS385a/b, DYS393, DYS391, DYS439, DYS635, DYS392, Y GATAH4,
Received in revised form 14 May 2010 DYS437, DYS438 and DYS448) were determined in a sample of 122 unrelated males living in the
Accepted 15 May 2010
South-East Romania. Genetic distances had been calculated and dendrograms had been generated for
South-East Romanian population and other eighteen surrounding populations.
Ó 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
Keywords:
Short Tandem Repeats (STRs) AmpFlSTR
YFiler
Y-chromosome haplotypes
South-East Romania

Introduction: South-Eastern region of Romania is an area
mostly circulated, throughout history, by populations who
migrated mainly from north-east to south-western regions of the
European continent, forced to follow this route by the geographical
formations such as the Carpathian Mountains and Black Sea. Along
with this, History confirms the existence of several attempts to in-
vade and/or colonize this area, coming from the south territories
or by water from the Black Sea. These migratory or invasive move-
ments had influenced in a way or another, the genetic structure of
the native population, and respectively, of the current population.
Population: We analyzed one hundred twenty-two unrelated
males from nine counties of the Romania South-East region, as fol-
lows: Argesß (2 samples), Călărasßi (52), Constantßa (5), Dâmbovitßa
(6), Ialomitßa (2), Olt (19), Prahova (4), Teleorman (4) and Vrancea
(28). The region of the Romanian capital city, Bucharest, was
excluded from the study.
Extraction: DNA from 2 blood samples and 120 buccal swabs
was extracted, 55 samples by Chelex 100 method [1] and 68 sam-
ples by an adapted version of AGOWA mag DNA Isolation Kit Spu-
tum for Freedom Evo 150 Liquid Handling Platform [2].
PCR: Approximately 1 ng target DNA was amplified using the
commercial typing kit, AmpFlSTR YFilerTM PCR Amplification Kit
(Applied Biosystems), according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
* Corresponding author at: Inspectoratul General al Politiei Romane, Institutul de
Criminalistica, Sos. Stefan cel Mare, Nr.13-15, Sector 2, 020123 Bucharest, Romania.
Tel.: +4037 131 5170.
E-mail address: florin.stanciu@genes.ro (F. Stanciu).
Typing: ABI3100 and reference sequenced ladders (Applied
Biosystems).
Results: See Tables 2 and 3 and Figs. 1–4.
Quality control: Laboratory is accredited by RENAR (Romanian
Accreditation Association). Y-STR Haplotyping Quality Assurance
Exercise 2008 (YHRD). Laboratory internal control standards and
kit controls.
Analysis of data: Allelic frequencies of the current study as well
as the reference populations (Table 1) were utilized to generate
Neighbor Joining (NJ) and Unweighted Pair Group Method with
Arithmetic mean (UPGMA) dendrograms based on Nei’s, Cavalli–
Sforza’s and Reynolds genetic distances for two different datasets
involving 9 STR loci (DYS19, DYS385a/b, DYS389 I, DYS389 II,
DYS390, DYS391, DYS392 and DYS393) and 12 STR loci (the previous
nine Y-STR loci plus DYS437, DYS438 and DYS439), using the PHYLIP
v3.6 software [3]. Due to the nature of DYS385a and DYS385b loci, in
the calculation of genetic distances we considered these loci as one
(DYS385a/b), with a common allele frequencies. Dendrograms had
been created using Dendroscope v2.4 software [4].
Access to the data: All haplotypes are included in the Y Chro-
mosome Haplotype Reference Database, YHRD [23].
Other remarks: We defined the seventeen Y-STR haplotype in
122 individuals, presenting 115 different haplotypes and 109 that
were seen only once (Table 3). The most common haplotype in our
population was shared by three individuals (RO57);
The discrimination between populations, base on genetic dis-
tance is more powerful with 12 loci than 9 loci, but dendrograms

1344-6223/$ - see front matter Ó 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.legalmed.2010.05.007
260 F. Stanciu et al. / Legal Medicine 12 (2010) 259–264

Table 1
Populations analyzed.

Population Abbreviation n Number References

of loci
Eastern Europe
Hungary HUN 215 12 (12) Volgyi et al. [5]
Poland POL 255 17 (12) Soltyszewski et al. [6]
Romania ROM 122 17 (12) Current study
Russia (European RUS 545 17 (12) Roewer et al. [7]
part)
Northern Europe
Denmark DEN 185 12 (12) Hallenberg et al. [8]
Norway NOR 300 10 (9) Dupuy et al. [9]
United Kingdom UK 750 12 (12) Ballard et al. [10]
(Caucasians)
Lithuania LIT 57 9 (9) Ambrasiene et al. [11]
Southern Europe
Bosnia and B&H 181 9 (9) Klarić et al. [12]
Herzegovina
Croatia CRO 166 17 (12) Ljubkovic et al. [13]
Greece GRE 69 9 (9) Parreira et al. [14]
Italy ITA 104 12 (12) Cerri et al. [15]
Serbia SER 185 17 (12) Veselinovic et al. [16]
Spain SPA 148 17 (12) Martín et al. [17]
Macedonia MAC 150 12 (12) Spiroski et al. [18]
Western Europe
Austria AUS 135 17 (12) Berger et al. [19]
Belgium BEL 113 12 (12) De Maesschalck et al. [20]
Germany GER 994 17 (12) Goedbloed et al. [21]
Western Asia
Turkey TUR 113 11 (9) Cakir et al. [22]

are simplest due to the lack of population reports from the Eastern
Europe, involving the analysis of more STR loci.
Although Nei’s, Cavalli–Sforza’s and Reynolds genetic distances
do not differ dramatically, comparing the genetic results with the
general European historical background, we considered the gener-
ating of NJ dendograms base on Cavalli–Sforza’s genetic distance
calculation method and the generating of UPGMA dendograms
Fig. 1. NJ dendrogram for 9 Y-STR loci using Cavalli–Sforza’s genetic distance.

Table 2
Allele/haplotype frequencies of 17 Y-STR loci in the South-East Romania population.

Allele DYS456 DYS389I DYS390 DYS389II DYS458 DYS19 DYS393 DYS391 DYS439 DYS635 DYS392 Y GATA H4 DYS437 DYS438 DYS448 Haplotype DYS385a/b
9 – – – – – – – 0.0082 – – – – – 0.1967 – 10–17 0.0082
10 – – – – – – 0.0164 0.6393 0.0984 – – 0.0492 – 0.5902 – 11–11 0.0082
11 – – – – – – – 0.3443 0.2705 – 0.8361 0.4836 – 0.1066 – 11–13 0.0246
12 – 0.1639 – – – – 0.2131 0.0082 0.4836 – 0.0328 0.3934 – 0.0902 – 11–14 0.1148
13 0.0328 0.5984 – – 0.0082 0.1721 0.623 – 0.1148 – 0.082 0.0738 – 0.0164 – 11–15 0.0328
14 0.0984 0.2377 – – 0.0164 0.2377 0.1393 – 0.0328 – 0.041 – 0.4672 – – 12–12 0.0082
15 0.4836 – – – 0.2377 0.3607 0.0082 – – – – – 0.3852 – – 12–13 0.0082
16 0.2295 – – – 0.2213 0.1885 – – – – – – 0.1475 – – 12–14 0.0246
17 0.1311 – – – 0.3279 0.041 – – – – – – – – – 12–15 0.0246
18 0.0164 – – – 0.1557 – – – – – 0.0082 – – – 0.0082 12–16 0.0164
19 0.0082 – 0.0082 – 0.0246 – – – – – – – – – 0.3361 13–13 0.0246
20 – – – – 0.0082 – – – – 0.1148 – – – – 0.5082 13–14 0.0164
21 – – 0.0164 – – – – – – 0.1475 – – – – 0.1148 13–15 0.0328
22 – – 0.1639 – – – – – – 0.2459 – – – – 0.0164 13–16 0.041
23 – – 0.2459 – – – – – – 0.3033 – – – – 0.0164 13–17 0.0328
24 – – 0.418 – – – – – – 0.1557 – – – – – 13–19 0.0082
25 – – 0.1311 – – – – – – 0.0328 – – – – – 14–14 0.0574
26 – – 0.0164 – – – – – – – – – – – – 14–15 0.1967
27 – – – 0.0164 – – – – – – – – – – – 14–16 0.0328
28 – – – 0.1066 – – – – – – – – – – – 14–17 0.0082
29 – – – 0.1967 – – – – – – – – – – – 15–15 0.0082
30 – – – 0.3443 – – – – – – – – – – – 15–16 0.0246
31 – – – 0.2459 – – – – – – – – – – – 15–17 0.0492
32 – – – 0.0902 – – – – – – – – – – – 15–18 0.0164
16–17 0.0246
16–18 0.082
16–19 0.0328
16–20 0.0082
17–18 0.0328
 F. Stanciu et al. / Legal Medicine 12 (2010) 259–264 261

Fig. 4. UPGMA dendrogram for 12 Y-STR loci using Nei’s genetic distance.

Fig. 2. UPGMA dendrogram for 9 Y-STR loci using Nei’s genetic distance.

Fig. 3. NJ dendrogram for 12 Y-STR loci using Cavalli–Sforza’s genetic distance.

262 F. Stanciu et al. / Legal Medicine 12 (2010) 259–264

Table 3
17 Y-STR haplotypes in 122 South-East Romania males.

Sample County* No Freq. DYS456 DYS389I DYS390 DYS389II DYS458 DYS19 DYS385 DYS393 DYS391 DYS439 DYS635 DYS392 YGATAH4 DYS437 DYS438 DYS448
RO1 VN 1 0.0082 13 12 23 28 15 14 13,15 13 10 11 22 11 11 16 10 20
RO2 CL 1 0.0082 13 12 24 28 16 15 14,16 12 10 12 23 11 11 16 9 19
RO3 VN 1 0.0082 13 12 24 28 16 15 14,17 12 10 12 20 11 12 16 9 19
RO4 OT 1 0.0082 13 12 24 28 17 15 10,17 12 10 12 24 11 11 16 9 19
RO5 CL 1 0.0082 14 12 22 27 15 14 13,15 13 11 12 25 11 11 16 10 20
RO6 VN 1 0.0082 14 12 22 28 15 14 13,16 13 10 11 22 11 11 16 10 19
RO7 CL,VN 2 0.0164 14 12 22 28 15 14 14,14 13 10 12 22 11 11 16 10 20
RO8 VN 1 0.0082 14 12 22 28 15 15 14,14 13 10 12 22 11 11 16 10 20
RO9 PH 1 0.0082 14 13 22 29 15 14 14,14 13 10 11 21 11 11 16 10 20
RO10 OT 1 0.0082 14 13 23 30 15 15 15,16 15 10 11 21 12 10 14 10 20
RO11 OT 1 0.0082 14 13 23 31 17 16 14,15 13 10 12 22 11 11 15 10 19
RO12 CL 1 0.0082 14 13 24 29 17 14 11,15 13 10 12 23 13 13 15 13 20
RO13 CT 1 0.0082 14 14 23 30 17 14 11,13 14 10 10 21 14 12 14 10 19
RO14 VN 1 0.0082 14 14 23 30 17 14 11,13 14 11 10 24 14 12 14 10 19
RO15 CT 1 0.0082 14 14 23 31 15 15 11,13 14 11 10 22 14 12 14 10 19
RO16 CL 1 0.0082 15 12 22 29 16 15 14,14 13 10 12 20 11 11 16 10 21
RO17 DB 1 0.0082 15 12 22 29 16 15 14,14 14 10 11 20 11 12 15 10 21
RO18 TR 1 0.0082 15 12 23 28 19 15 12,13 13 10 12 22 11 11 16 10 21
RO19 VN 1 0.0082 15 13 22 29 18 14 13,17 12 10 13 23 11 11 15 9 20
RO20 CL 1 0.0082 15 13 22 30 16 15 13,14 14 10 11 20 11 12 16 10 21
RO21 CL 1 0.0082 15 13 22 30 18 15 14,14 14 10 11 20 11 12 16 10 21
RO22 CL 1 0.0082 15 13 22 32 15 16 13,15 12 10 11 21 11 12 14 9 21
RO23 CL 1 0.0082 15 13 23 29 17 15 12,14 13 11 12 23 13 12 15 13 19
RO24 CT 1 0.0082 15 13 23 30 16 17 12,15 14 11 11 22 11 11 14 10 21
RO25 CL,PH 2 0.0164 15 13 23 31 15 15 12,16 12 10 11 24 11 11 15 9 21
RO26 OT 1 0.0082 15 13 23 31 17 15 13,16 12 10 11 21 11 11 15 9 20
RO27 CL 1 0.0082 15 13 23 31 17 16 14,15 14 11 12 23 11 11 15 10 20
RO28 VN 1 0.0082 15 13 24 28 18 14 11,14 13 11 12 24 14 12 15 12 19
RO29 VN 1 0.0082 15 13 24 28 19 14 11,14 13 11 12 24 14 12 15 12 19
RO30 OT 1 0.0082 15 13 24 29 18 17 14,15 13 11 12 21 11 11 15 10 20
RO31 CL 1 0.0082 15 13 24 30 15 16 11,15 13 11 10 25 11 13 14 11 20
RO32 TR 1 0.0082 15 13 24 30 16 13 16,19 13 10 11 21 11 11 14 10 20
RO33 OT 1 0.0082 15 13 24 30 16 16 14,15 13 10 13 23 11 11 15 10 19
RO34 CL 1 0.0082 15 13 24 30 17 15 14,15 13 10 12 22 11 11 15 10 20
RO35 TR 1 0.0082 15 13 24 30 17 15 14,16 13 11 14 22 11 11 15 10 19
RO36 CL 1 0.0082 15 13 24 30 17 16 13,15 13 11 12 24 11 11 15 10 20
RO37 DB 1 0.0082 15 13 24 30 18 16 14,15 13 10 12 22 11 11 15 10 19
RO38 OT 1 0.0082 15 13 24 31 17 15 14,15 13 11 12 23 11 11 15 10 19
RO39 OT 1 0.0082 15 13 24 31 17 15 14,15 13 11 12 24 11 11 15 10 19
RO40 CL 1 0.0082 15 13 24 31 17 16 14,15 13 11 12 23 11 11 15 10 20
RO41 CT 1 0.0082 15 13 24 31 17 16 14,15 14 11 13 22 11 11 15 10 19
RO42 VN 1 0.0082 15 13 24 31 17 17 14,15 13 11 13 23 11 11 15 10 20
RO43 VN 1 0.0082 15 13 24 31 18 16 14,15 13 11 14 23 11 11 15 10 19
RO44 CL 1 0.0082 15 13 24 31 18 16 14,16 13 11 13 23 11 11 15 10 19
RO45 CL 1 0.0082 15 13 24 32 16 16 14,15 13 11 12 23 11 11 15 10 20
RO46 OT 2 0.0164 15 13 24 32 17 15 14,15 13 11 12 24 11 11 15 10 19
RO47 CL,DB 2 0.0164 15 13 24 32 17 15 14,15 13 11 13 24 11 11 15 10 20
RO48 CL 1 0.0082 15 13 24 32 17 16 14,15 13 11 12 22 11 11 15 10 20
RO49 CL 1 0.0082 15 13 24 32 17 16 14,15 13 11 12 24 11 11 15 10 20
RO50 PH 1 0.0082 15 13 25 29 15 16 12,15 13 10 10 24 11 13 14 11 20
RO51 CL 1 0.0082 15 13 25 30 15 15 11,14 14 11 10 23 11 12 14 11 20
RO52 CT 1 0.0082 15 13 25 30 16 14 12,14 10 11 12 23 13 12 14 12 19
RO53 VN 1 0.0082 15 14 19 30 17 14 13,13 13 11 13 25 13 10 15 10 19
RO54 CL 1 0.0082 15 14 22 30 16 15 15,17 12 11 11 20 11 12 14 9 18
RO55 VN 1 0.0082 15 14 22 30 17 15 15,17 12 10 11 20 11 12 14 9 19
RO56 VN 1 0.0082 15 14 22 30 18 15 15,15 12 10 11 20 11 12 14 9 19
RO57 CL 3 0.0246 15 14 22 30 18 15 15,17 12 10 11 20 11 12 14 9 19
RO58 CL 1 0.0082 15 14 22 30 18 15 16,17 12 10 11 20 11 12 14 9 19
RO59 DB 1 0.0082 15 14 23 30 17 14 13,16 12 10 11 21 11 10 14 9 20
RO60 CL 1 0.0082 15 14 23 30 17 14 13,19 12 10 13 22 11 12 15 9 20
RO61 VN 1 0.0082 15 14 23 31 16 14 14,16 12 11 12 22 11 12 14 9 22
RO62 VN 1 0.0082 15 14 23 31 16 15 13,16 12 10 11 21 11 10 14 9 20
RO63 CL,VN 2 0.0164 15 14 23 31 17 14 13,17 12 10 11 21 11 10 14 9 20
RO64 CL 1 0.0082 15 14 23 32 15 15 15,16 14 10 12 21 12 11 14 10 19
RO65 VN 1 0.0082 15 14 24 32 17 17 14,15 13 11 13 23 11 11 15 10 20
RO66 TR 1 0.0082 15 14 24 32 18 15 14,15 13 10 13 24 11 11 15 10 20
RO67 CL 1 0.0082 15 14 25 30 16 14 15,16 13 10 10 23 11 11 16 10 20
RO68 CL 1 0.0082 15 14 26 30 16 15 11,14 13 10 10 23 11 13 14 11 21
RO69 OT 1 0.0082 16 12 21 28 16 15 13,13 14 11 12 22 11 11 16 10 23
RO70 OT 1 0.0082 16 12 21 29 16 15 13,13 14 11 12 23 11 11 16 10 23
RO71 CL 1 0.0082 16 12 23 29 17 13 16,17 13 10 11 22 11 12 14 10 20
RO72 VN 1 0.0082 16 12 23 30 18 15 13,14 14 10 11 21 11 13 16 10 22
RO73 VN 1 0.0082 16 12 23 31 18 15 12,14 13 10 12 24 11 11 15 10 20
RO74 OT 1 0.0082 16 12 24 29 16 13 17,18 13 10 12 23 11 11 14 10 21
 F. Stanciu et al. / Legal Medicine 12 (2010) 259–264 263

Table 3 (continued)

Sample County* No Freq. DYS456 DYS389I DYS390 DYS389II DYS458 DYS19 DYS385 DYS393 DYS391 DYS439 DYS635 DYS392 YGATAH4 DYS437 DYS438 DYS448
RO75 CL 1 0.0082 16 13 23 29 14 15 13,16 12 9 10 22 11 12 14 9 21
RO76 OT 1 0.0082 16 13 23 29 17 14 11,14 13 10 12 23 13 11 15 12 19
RO77 AG 1 0.0082 16 13 23 29 17 14 11,14 13 10 13 23 13 11 15 11 19
RO78 CL 1 0.0082 16 13 23 30 17 14 11,15 13 10 12 24 13 12 15 12 19
RO79 VN 1 0.0082 16 13 23 31 16 14 11,14 13 10 12 25 13 12 14 12 19
RO80 OT 1 0.0082 16 13 24 29 15 14 11,11 12 11 12 23 11 12 15 12 19
RO81 CL 1 0.0082 16 13 24 29 18 15 12,12 12 11 12 23 13 11 15 12 19
RO82 CL 1 0.0082 16 13 24 30 15 13 16,18 14 10 12 22 11 12 14 10 20
RO83 PH 1 0.0082 16 13 24 30 15 13 16,19 13 11 12 22 12 11 14 10 20
RO84 CL 1 0.0082 16 13 24 30 17 14 17,18 13 10 12 21 11 13 14 10 20
RO85 CL 1 0.0082 16 13 24 31 17 16 14,15 13 10 13 24 11 11 15 10 20
RO86 OT 1 0.0082 16 13 25 29 13 17 11,14 13 12 10 23 11 13 14 11 20
RO87 OT 1 0.0082 16 13 25 29 17 14 12,15 12 10 12 24 18 12 15 12 20
RO88 IL 1 0.0082 16 13 25 29 18 16 11,14 13 10 12 23 11 12 14 11 19
RO89 OT 1 0.0082 16 13 25 30 16 13 16,18 13 10 12 22 11 12 14 10 20
RO90 CL 1 0.0082 16 13 25 30 16 16 14,15 13 11 14 23 11 11 15 11 20
RO91 CL 1 0.0082 16 13 25 30 17 16 14,15 13 11 14 23 11 11 15 11 20
RO92 IL 1 0.0082 16 14 22 31 18 15 15,17 12 11 11 20 11 12 14 9 19
RO93 CL 1 0.0082 16 14 23 31 15 14 16,18 13 10 12 23 11 12 14 10 20
RO94 CL 1 0.0082 16 14 24 31 15 13 16,18 13 10 13 22 11 12 14 10 20
RO95 OT 1 0.0082 16 14 24 31 16 13 16,17 13 10 12 21 11 12 14 10 20
RO96 VN 1 0.0082 16 14 26 31 14 16 11,14 13 11 10 23 11 12 14 11 20
RO97 CL 1 0.0082 17 12 24 29 16 13 17,18 13 10 12 23 11 12 14 10 20
RO98 CL 1 0.0082 17 12 25 28 16 15 11,14 10 10 11 23 11 12 14 12 20
RO99 DB 1 0.0082 17 13 23 30 15 14 13,17 13 10 11 22 11 11 14 9 20
RO100 VN 1 0.0082 17 13 24 29 15 13 16,18 13 10 12 22 11 11 14 10 20
RO101 VN 1 0.0082 17 13 24 29 17 15 11,15 13 11 11 23 13 11 15 12 19
RO102 AG 1 0.0082 17 13 24 30 16 13 16,19 13 10 12 22 12 11 14 10 20
RO103 DB 1 0.0082 17 13 24 30 17 13 15,18 13 10 12 22 11 12 14 10 21
RO104 CL 1 0.0082 17 13 24 30 17 13 17,18 13 10 11 21 11 11 14 10 21
RO105 VN 1 0.0082 17 13 24 30 19 13 15,18 13 10 12 22 11 12 15 10 20
RO106 VN 1 0.0082 17 13 24 30 20 13 16,18 13 10 12 21 11 13 14 10 20
RO107 CL 1 0.0082 17 13 24 31 15 13 16,18 13 10 12 23 11 13 14 10 20
RO108 CL 1 0.0082 17 13 24 31 15 13 16,18 14 10 11 20 11 12 14 10 20
RO109 VN 1 0.0082 17 13 25 27 15 13 16,20 13 10 12 22 11 12 14 10 20
RO110 CL 1 0.0082 17 13 25 31 15 13 16,19 13 10 12 22 11 12 14 10 20
RO111 VN 1 0.0082 17 14 25 31 15 16 11,14 14 10 10 23 11 12 14 11 20
RO112 CL 1 0.0082 17 14 25 31 18 16 11,14 13 10 12 23 11 12 14 11 20
RO113 CL 1 0.0082 18 13 24 29 16 13 16,18 13 10 12 23 11 12 14 10 20
RO114 CL 1 0.0082 18 13 25 29 16 16 11,14 13 10 11 23 11 12 14 11 19
RO115 CL 1 0.0082 19 13 24 30 15 13 16,18 13 10 12 21 11 12 14 10 19
Total 122 1.0000
*
Counties abbreviations: AG, Argesß; CL, Călărasßi; CT, Constantßa; DB, Dâmbovitßa; IL, Ialomitßa; OT, Olt; PH, Prahova; TR, Teleorman; VN, Vrancea.

base on Nei’s genetic distance calculation method, as the most
realistic ones.
Regardless of the STR loci number - 9 (Fig. 1) or 12 (Fig. 3), accord-
ing to the NJ dendrograms, South-Eastern Romanian population is lo-
cated at the bottom of a minor cluster composed from southern Slavic
populations (Macedonian, Serbian, Bosnia–Herzegovinian and Cro-
atian). The second nearest minor cluster is composed from the north-
ern Slavic populations (Russian, Polish and Lithuanian). These two
clusters form a major cluster which delimitates very well from an-
other one composed from the rest of the analyzed populations.
UPGMA dendrograms (Figs. 2 and 4) preserves and even rein-
forces the differentiations between the above mentioned two ma-
jor clusters. These differentiations reflect (to some extent) the
European geographical distribution of the countries with majority
Slavic ethnicities and at least one Slavic national language.
The exception from this rule is the Hungarian population which
seems to be closer to the northern Slavic populations than the rest
of the analyzed populations and their presence in this cluster can
been explained by the 9th century Finno–Ugric Hungarians inva-
sion, which separates the Slavic populations in northern and south-
ern Slavs [24]. Another major exception is the Greek population,
which appears in one major cluster or in the other one, base on
the used dendogram construction method.
Based on these results, the Romanian male population (for the 9
and 12 analyzed Y-STR loci), is more genetically close to Macedo-
nian, Serbian, Bosnia–Herzegovinian and Croatian populations.
Regarding the genetic similarity between these peoples, we can,
by extrapolation, issue two main assumptions: (a) the historical re-
cent event with the greatest influence on the current population
genetic structure was the Slavic migration from the North Eastern
Europe towards the Balkan Peninsula or (b) the genetic similarity
between these peoples reflects the distribution of a Paleo–Balkan
population, such as Thracians.
These findings corroborate with a previous population study
regarding South-Eastern Romania and the surrounding countries,
which had been made using autosomal STR loci [25] and integrates
the South-Eastern Romania population among southern Slavic
populations in the big picture of Slavic peoples described by the
Re˛bała et al. [24].
Acknowledgements
We would like to thank Daniela Cocioabă and Romeo Potorac
(Forensic Science Institute, Bucharest, Romania) for their technical
support and Nicoleta Constantin (Faculty of Biology, University of
Bucharest) for moral support.
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