Study of genetic variation in three human populations in Piedmont (Italy)

In the present study, we analyzed the VNTR polymorphism of DAT 1 gene and the LRPAPI I/D gene polymorphism, in a total of 250 individuals belonging to three population of North Western Italy (Biella, Cavaglià, Postua). Among these, Postua is particularly interesting, because its history has been characterized by partial geographic and social isolation and by a high degree of marriages between relatives. Results obtained for both the DAT 1 and the LRPAP 1 frequency distribution confirm those previously described for other Italian and European. In contrast to data obtained using Alu insertion loci, the Postua sample appeared not differentiated from the neighbouring towns Cavaglià and Biella. Indeed, no sognificant differences were found between studied populations in the frequency of the DAT 1 VNTR alleles, showing an inter-populational homogeneity for this genetic marker.