Y-STR Genetic Structure of the Most Common Surnames in Korea

• Published in: Genes & genomics Vol. 31; no. 3; pp. 243 - 249
• Main Authors: Kim, S.H. (National Institute of Scientific Investigation, Seoul, Republic of Korea), Jung, J.W. (Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea), Cho, N.S. (National Institute of Scientific Investigation, Seoul, Republic of Korea), Hwang, J.H. (National Institute of Scientific Investigation, Seoul, Republic of Korea), Yoo, S.Y. (National Institute of Scientific Investigation, Seoul, Republic of Korea), Seong, K.M. (National Institute of Scientific Investigation, Seoul, Republic of Korea), Han, M.S. (National Institute of Scientific Investigation, Seoul, Republic of Korea), Kim, W. (Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea), E-mail: [e-mail]
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Netherlands 01-06-2009; 한국유전학회
• Subjects: Animal Genetics and Genomics; Biomedical and Life Sciences; genealogy; GENETICA DE POBLACIONES; GENETIQUE DES POPULATIONS; Human Genetics; Korean; Life Sciences; Microbial Genetics and Genomics; Plant Genetics and Genomics; POPULATION GENETICS; surnames; Y-STRs; 생물학; population genetics; Korean; Genealogy; Y-STRs; Surnames
• ISSN: 1976-9571; 2092-9293
• DOI: 10.1007/BF03191196

The genetic pattern of the Y-chromosomal short tandem repeat (Y-STR) haplotypes of 542 unrelated males having the five most common surnames was analyzed to evaluate their usefulness for Korean forensic science and to provide the basic information for Korean genetic genealogy. We identified 439 Y-STR haplotypes, with 385 (87.7%) being found once. Each of the most common Korean surnames examined here showed high haplotype diversity (greater than 0.9949), indicating that Y-STR haplotypes are very heterogeneous within each surname. Population genetic analysis showed that there are little genetic difference among five surnames due to the genetic heterogeneity within each surname and the various kinds of non surname-specific haplotypes (33.6%: 182/542) distributed among five surnames. Surname prediction may not be adequate for narrowing down the Suspect list in Korean forensic science, and additional Y-STR haplotype data of the bon-gwans are needed.