D-Loop mtDNA deletion as a Unique marker of chibchan Ameridians [resumen]

Abstract

Carta al editor. Torroni et al. (1993) presented an extensive restriction-site analysis of Native American mtDNAs from 17 widely dis- tributed Na-Dene and Amerindian tribes. For sometime we have been analyzing mtDNA control region sequences of several Chibcha-speaking Amerindian tribes from Costa Rica and Panama. Some Huetar individuals from central Costa Rica (not included in Torroni et al.'s tribes) present a 6-bp deletion encompassing nucleotides 106-111 (not reported before), subsequently denominated "Huetar deletion" (Santos 1992, Santos et al., in press). This marker has been found in different frequencies in several Chibchan groups (Bribri, Cabecar, Guaymi, and Kuna), but not in another located in the northern region of lower Central America (Miskito). According to our sequence data, the Huetar deletion carriers have lost restriction site MspI 104, as well as BsiHKAI (BioLabs) or its isoschizomers (Santos and Barrantes 1994). Therefore the -104i mutation in haplotypes 51-53 from Chibchan groups (Torroni et al. 1993) corresponds exactly to the Huetar deletion.