Genetic Variation Study on Fifteen STR Loci in Isolated Slovenian “Inland Island” Human Populations of the Selška Valley Region

Homo 70/2 (2019), 129–137 Article J. Comp. Hum. Biol. Published online 29 August 2019, published in print October 2019

Genetic variation study on fifteen STR loci in isolated Slovenian “Inland Island” human populations of the Selška Valley Region

Negra Hadžić Metjahić1, Maruška Vidović2, Jasmina Čakar1,*, Mirela Džehverović1, Amela Pilav1, Serkan Dogan3, and Damir Marjanović3,4

1 Institute for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina 2 National Institute of Public Health, Ljubljana, Slovenia 3 International Burch University, Department of Genetics and Bioengineering, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina 4 Institute for Anthropological Research, Zagreb, Croatia * Corresponding author: [email protected]

With 3 figures and 5 tables

Abstract: This study was conducted to confirm preliminary anthropological research indicating the specificity of isolated Selška Valley populations and implement clear mapping of genetic distances between neighboring populations and similar “inland island” populations from the region. The sample consisted of 86 unrelated individuals born in the Selška Valley from the lowland villages (Bukovica, Ševlje, Dolenja Vas, Selca, Železniki and Zali Log) and the mountain villages (Podlonk, Prtovč, Spodnje Danje, Zgornja Sorica and Spodnja Sorica). The for mentioned 15 STR loci (D3S1358, TH01, D21S11, D18S51, Penta E, D5S818, D13S317, D7S820, D16S539, CSF1PO, Penta D, vWA, D8S1179, TPOX and FGA) were analyzed and statistical analysis was applied to determine population-genetics and forensic parameters. The frequen- cies of 15 STR loci from isolated populations of Slovenian villages, Slovenia, Bosnian mountain villages and Bosnia and Herzegovina were analyzed to calculate genetic distances between them. Our results confirmed a similar genetic pattern between the Selška Valley mountain villages and Slovenian general population as well as Bosnian mountain villages and general Bosnian population. Even if the sample size was relatively small and examined populations were geographically isolated, observed genetic variation within the whole population was relatively high and comparable with neighboring populations. Additional analysis proved that the Selška Valley population is genetically closest to the Slovenian and Austrian populations. On the other hand, comparison with similarly patterned populations confirmed that this population could be recognized as “inland island” population in genetic terms.

Keywords: genetic distances; STR loc; Slovenia; Bosnia; Bosnia and Herzegovina

Introduction 6700). The Valley is surrounded by mountains and hills and it remains rather remote, thus preventing large fluxes of Republic of Slovenia is a state in Southern Central Europe, migrants (Vidovič et al. 2015). According to historical facts, which is bordered by Italy to the west, Austria to the north, early settlement of Slovene agrarian occurred probably after Hungary to the northeast, Croatia to the south and southeast, the 10th century and it was followed by the Friulian and then and the Adriatic Sea to the southwest. The territory is mostly German colonists during the 13th and 14th centuries (Vidovič mountainous (Perko 2004). Slovenian population settle- et al. 2015). From that time, the Selška Valley was influ- ments are dispersed and uneven (Kladnik 2004) and there enced by low level immigration activities. Even today there are a number of isolated areas and local human communities is a little migration into or between villages and almost no within this country. One of those is the Selška Valley, which migration into the Valley (Miličić & Vidovič 2005; Vidovič is located in the northwestern part of Slovenia between et al. 2007; Vidovič & Crews 2012; Vidovič et al. 2015). Škofja Loka and the slopes of the Julian Alps. The Valley is Within the Valley there are two groups of villages, namely the very core of Selško Pohorje whose range is greater than the lowland villages and the mountain villages. According 210 kilometers, with a small population size (approximately to historical facts, mountain villages were colonized by