The mitochondrial DNA HVI and HVII sequences and haplogroup distribution in a population sample from Vietnam

Abstract

Background

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis has been used in forensics and requires well-established population databases for statistical interpretations. However, high-quality mtDNA data from Vietnamese population samples have been limited.

Aim

To examine the mtDNA sequences and haplogroup compositions of a Vietnamese population to provide an mtDNA dataset that can further be used to construct a Vietnamese-specific reference database.

Subjects and methods

A total of 173 Vietnamese individuals were analysed for two hypervariable regions (HVI and HVII) of mtDNA. Forensic parameters were calculated and haplogroup assignment was performed based on the resulting mtDNA haplotypes. Genetic relationships between the Vietnamese and other Asian populations were investigated through principal component analysis (PCA) and pairwise F_st.

Results

The Vietnamese population sample consisted of 145 different haplotypes with a random match probability of 0.96%, a power of discrimination of 0.9904, and a haplotype diversity of 0.9962. The samples were assigned to 83 haplogroups that were commonly reported in Asia. PCA and pairwise F_st revealed close relationships of the Vietnamese population with other Asian populations, especially with populations in proximity.

Conclusion

The results from this study can contribute to the current genetic information content as a supplementary mtDNA reference dataset for forensic investigations and phylogenetic research.

Keywords:

• Mitochondrial DNA
• Vietnamese population
• reference database
• haplotypes
• haplogroups

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was financially supported by the project “Estimation of haplotype frequencies and identification of haplogroups based on mitochondrial DNA HVI and HVII sequences in a Vietnamese population” [No. CS22-20] (funder: Institute of Biotechnology - Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology) and the project “Study of ancient DNA extraction and sequencing of archaeological human remains in Vietnam” [No. DL0000.08/20-23] (funder: Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology).