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Archiver > Melungeon > 2002-06 > 1024936007
From: <>
Subject: Re: [Melungeon] Basic DNA
Date: Mon, 24 Jun 2002 09:26:47 -0700
References: <bf.223db603.2a480b9f@cs.com>
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From:
In a message dated 6/22/02 4:25:55 PM Pacific Daylight Time, writes:
and Labrador Retreivers having an index in the 0.028-0.054 range
What does this index represent? Is it a percentage of total DNA, or what?
It is a measure of microsatellite DNA distance between individuals and groups. Measurement of microsatellite DNA marker distance is now the method used by population geneticists in determining degree of relatedness. The math is based on the discipline within population genetics known as "F-statistics" which are used to determine the degree of population structure, inbreeding, outbreeding and Wahlund Effect (measurement of assortive mating by determining the degree of heterozygosity vs homozygosity in various populations). The F-statistic being reported above is, I believe, called "coefficient of relationship". Coefficients of relationship are the numbers used by sociobiologists to study behavioral "anomalies" such as altruism among kin.
See:
http://www.google.com/search?&q=microsatellite+relatedness&btnG=Google+Search
for the diverse work based on microsatellite measures of the coefficient of relationship.
PS: There is a closely correlated measure called the "coefficient of kinship" that is generally one-half of the coefficient of relationship depending on the degree of inbreeding vs outbreeding (homozygousity vs heterozygousity) in the population.
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