TY - JOUR T1 - The Druze: A Population Genetic Refugium of the Near East A1 - Shlush, Liran I. A1 - Behar, Doron M. A1 - Yudkovsky, Guennady A1 - Templeton, Alan A1 - Hadid, Yarin A1 - Basis, Fuad A1 - Hammer, Michael A1 - Itzkovitz, Shalev A1 - Skorecki, Karl Y1 - 2008/05/07 N2 - BackgroundPhylogenetic mitochondrial DNA haplogroups are highly partitioned across global geographic regions. A unique exception is the X haplogroup, which has a widespread global distribution without major regions of distinct localization.Principal FindingsWe have examined mitochondrial DNA sequence variation together with Y-chromosome-based haplogroup structure among the Druze, a religious minority with a unique socio-demographic history residing in the Near East. We observed a striking overall pattern of heterogeneous parental origins, consistent with Druze oral tradition, together with both a high frequency and a high diversity of the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) X haplogroup within a confined regional subpopulation. Furthermore demographic modeling indicated low migration rates with nearby populations.ConclusionsThese findings were enabled through the use of a paternal kindred based sampling approach, and suggest that the Galilee Druze represent a population isolate, and that the combination of a high frequency and diversity of the mtDNA X haplogroup signifies a phylogenetic refugium, providing a sample snapshot of the genetic landscape of the Near East prior to the modern age. JF - PLOS ONE JA - PLOS ONE VL - 3 IS - 5 UR - https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0002105 SP - e2105 EP - PB - Public Library of Science M3 - doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0002105 ER -