population genetics

Human genetic variation

Global human genetic variation is greatly influenced by geography, with genetic differentiation between populations increasing with geographic distance and within-population diversity decreasing with distance from Africa.

In fact, these ’clines’ can explain most of the variation in human populations. Despite this, population genetics inferences often rely on models that do not take geography into account, which could result in misleading conclusions when working at global geographic scales.

Geographically explicit approaches have great potential for the study of human population genetics.

References

 Handley LJ, Manica A, Goudet J, Balloux F. Going the distance: human population genetics in a clinal world. Trends Genet. 2007 Sep;23(9):432-9. PMID: 17655965

 Excoffier L, Heckel G. Computer programs for population genetics data analysis: a survival guide. Nat Rev Genet. 2006 Oct;7(10):745-58. PMID: 16924258

 Harding RM, McVean G. A structured ancestral population for the evolution of modern humans. Curr Opin Genet Dev. 2004 Dec;14(6):667-74. PMID: 15531162

 Foster MW, Sharp RR. Beyond race: towards a whole-genome perspective on human populations and genetic variation. Nat Rev Genet. 2004 Oct;5(10):790-6. PMID: 15510170

 Jorde LB, Wooding SP. Genetic variation, classification and ’race’. Nat Genet. 2004 Nov;36(11 Suppl):S28-33. PMID: 15508000

 Tishkoff SA, Kidd KK. Implications of biogeography of human populations for ’race’ and medicine. Nat Genet. 2004 Nov;36(11 Suppl):S21-7. PMID: 15507999