Abstract
Recent studies have shown higher frequencies of the CCR5-Δ32 allele and the CCR5-A32/Δ32 genotype, which confers protection against HIV infection, in northern Europe as compared to Mediterranean countries. Here, we analyse the prevalence of CCR5-Δ32 in 922 HIV seronegative blood donors in Israel to verify its frequency in Jews of Ashkenazi and Sephardi origin. A significant difference (P < 0.001) was found between the CCR5-Δ32 allele frequency in Ashkenazi (13.8%) vs (4.9%) Jews. In contrast, no significant difference was observed in the frequency of the CCR2-641 mutation between Ashkenazi (9.2%) and Sephardi (13.4%) Jews. Using the Island model we calculate that a minimal genetic migration rate of 3% per generation would have been necessary if the higher CCR5-Δ32 prevalence in Ashkenazi is to be fully explained by mixing with the indigenous north-European populations. This putative migration rate is 20-fold higher than that currently estimated from other genes, and would correspond to a non-realistic minimal current admixture of 80%. Thus, our results suggest that a positive selection process for CCR5-Δ32 should have occurred in northern Europe at most a 1000 years ago, after the Ashkenazi Jews separated from their Sephardi kin and moved to north Europe.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 358-361 |
Number of pages | 4 |
Journal | Genes and Immunity |
Volume | 1 |
Issue number | 6 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Aug 2000 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:This work was supported by the committee for the advancement of research and the Gonda-Goldschmied Medical Diagnostic Center at the Bar-Ilan University; and the National Institutes of Health under RO1 AI 43868 (LGK). Received 28 March 2000; accepted 10 April 2000
Funding
This work was supported by the committee for the advancement of research and the Gonda-Goldschmied Medical Diagnostic Center at the Bar-Ilan University; and the National Institutes of Health under RO1 AI 43868 (LGK). Received 28 March 2000; accepted 10 April 2000
Funders | Funder number |
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Gonda-Goldschmied Medical Diagnostic Center at the Bar-Ilan University | |
National Institutes of Health | |
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases | R01AI043868 |
Keywords
- CCR2-641 mutation
- CCR5-Δ32 mutation
- Genetic polymorphism
- HIV-1 co-receptors
- Mathematical modeling
- Population genetics