Population structure and migration in the Eastern Highlands of Papua New Guinea, a region impacted by the kuru epidemic
Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review
Standard
Population structure and migration in the Eastern Highlands of Papua New Guinea, a region impacted by the kuru epidemic. / Quinn, Liam; Whitfield, Jerome; Alpers, Michael P.; Campbell, Tracy; Hummerich, Holger; Pomat, William; Siba, Peter; Koki, George; Moltke, Ida; Collinge, John; Hellenthal, Garrett; Mead, Simon.
In: American Journal of Human Genetics, Vol. 111, No. 4, 2024, p. 668-679.Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review
Harvard
APA
Vancouver
Author
Bibtex
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
T1 - Population structure and migration in the Eastern Highlands of Papua New Guinea, a region impacted by the kuru epidemic
AU - Quinn, Liam
AU - Whitfield, Jerome
AU - Alpers, Michael P.
AU - Campbell, Tracy
AU - Hummerich, Holger
AU - Pomat, William
AU - Siba, Peter
AU - Koki, George
AU - Moltke, Ida
AU - Collinge, John
AU - Hellenthal, Garrett
AU - Mead, Simon
N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2024 The Authors
PY - 2024
Y1 - 2024
N2 - Populations of the Eastern Highlands of Papua New Guinea (EHPNG, area 11,157 km2) lived in relative isolation from the rest of the world until the mid-20th century, and the region contains a wealth of linguistic and cultural diversity. Notably, several populations of EHPNG were devastated by an epidemic prion disease, kuru, which at its peak in the mid-twentieth century led to some villages being almost depleted of adult women. Until now, population genetic analyses to learn about genetic diversity, migration, admixture, and the impact of the kuru epidemic have been restricted to a small number of variants or samples. Here, we present a population genetic analysis of the region based on genome-wide genotype data of 943 individuals from 21 linguistic groups and 68 villages in EHPNG, including 34 villages in the South Fore linguistic group, the group most affected by kuru. We find a striking degree of genetic population structure in the relatively small region (average FST between linguistic groups 0.024). The genetic population structure correlates well with linguistic grouping, with some noticeable exceptions that reflect the clan system of community organization that has historically existed in EHPNG. We also detect the presence of migrant individuals within the EHPNG region and observe a significant excess of females among migrants compared to among non-migrants in areas of high kuru exposure (p = 0.0145, chi-squared test). This likely reflects the continued practice of patrilocality despite documented fears and strains placed on communities as a result of kuru and its associated skew in female incidence.
AB - Populations of the Eastern Highlands of Papua New Guinea (EHPNG, area 11,157 km2) lived in relative isolation from the rest of the world until the mid-20th century, and the region contains a wealth of linguistic and cultural diversity. Notably, several populations of EHPNG were devastated by an epidemic prion disease, kuru, which at its peak in the mid-twentieth century led to some villages being almost depleted of adult women. Until now, population genetic analyses to learn about genetic diversity, migration, admixture, and the impact of the kuru epidemic have been restricted to a small number of variants or samples. Here, we present a population genetic analysis of the region based on genome-wide genotype data of 943 individuals from 21 linguistic groups and 68 villages in EHPNG, including 34 villages in the South Fore linguistic group, the group most affected by kuru. We find a striking degree of genetic population structure in the relatively small region (average FST between linguistic groups 0.024). The genetic population structure correlates well with linguistic grouping, with some noticeable exceptions that reflect the clan system of community organization that has historically existed in EHPNG. We also detect the presence of migrant individuals within the EHPNG region and observe a significant excess of females among migrants compared to among non-migrants in areas of high kuru exposure (p = 0.0145, chi-squared test). This likely reflects the continued practice of patrilocality despite documented fears and strains placed on communities as a result of kuru and its associated skew in female incidence.
KW - Eastern Highlands Province
KW - evolution
KW - Fore
KW - kuru
KW - migration
KW - PNG
KW - population structure
KW - prion
U2 - 10.1016/j.ajhg.2024.02.011
DO - 10.1016/j.ajhg.2024.02.011
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 38508194
AN - SCOPUS:85188908729
VL - 111
SP - 668
EP - 679
JO - American Journal of Human Genetics
JF - American Journal of Human Genetics
SN - 0002-9297
IS - 4
ER -
ID: 387836026