A Genetic Study of the South Altaian Population of the Mendur-Sokkon Village, Altai Republic

This study was a continuation of complex research on the gene pool of indigenous Siberian populations conducted at the Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Siberian Division, Russian Academy of Sciences. In the population of South Altaians from the Mendur-Sokkon village, Ust'-Kanskii raion, Altai Republic, polymorphism for the following genetic markers was studied: blood groups AB0, MNSs, Rhesus, Kell, Duffy, and P; erythrocyte acid phosphatase (AcP); phosphoglucomutase 1 (PGM1); haptoglobin (Hp); and transferrin (Tf). The genetic position of South Altaians relative to the populations of the European part of Russia, Siberia, and the Urals was estimated. It was demonstrated that the gene pool of the South Altaian population of MendurSokkon possessed both Caucasoid and Mongoloid genetic characteristics, with the latter prevailing. Genetically, this population is most closely related to Mongols and Nentsis. The genetic distance between South and North Altaians was large; this agreed with earlier genetic data and confirmed anthropological and ethnographic evidence indicating that these two groups had different backgrounds and were at different stages of ethnogenesis.