An investigation of the genetic diversity of the Kerkennah islands and Mahdia (Tunisia) using biparental markers

Abstract

Background: Kerkennah is one of the main inhabited islands of Tunisia. The origin of the population of Kerkennah has not been established and no well-defined ethnic groups have been identified nor are genetic studies available. Mahdia, a Tunisian coastal city, has a long history dating back to ancient times.

Aim: To discover the genetic diversity of the two studied populations and analyse their relationships with other Mediterranean populations.

Subject and methods: Seven human-specific Alu insertion polymorphisms were typed in 99 individuals born in Kerkennah and Mahdia.

Results: A neighbour-joining tree and MDS multidimensional scaling analysis showed that these Tunisian populations are scattered amongst North African and Europeans populations, indicating their high genetic diversity and mosaic aspect. The important finding of this study was the proximity of Kerkennah to Moroccans. Hence, the actual gene pool of this insular population may descend from the ancestral population known to be of Moroccan origin. Concerning Mahdia, its closeness to Eurasian populations and some Tunisian groups reflected a high Eurasian genetic component for North African populations and confirmed their heterogeneity.

Conclusion: The strategic location of the two studied populations and their fortifications have allowed them to play a leading role in the Mediterranean basin.

• Alu insertion polymorphism
• insular population
• Kerkennah
• Mahdia
• Tunisia

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Tunisian Ministry of Higher Education, Scientific Research and Technology. We gratefully acknowledge the blood donors whose availability made this study possible. Thanks also to the anonymous reviewers whose comments improved the presentation of this manuscript.