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Genetics of anthropometric asymmetry in an Indian endogamous population—Vaidyas
Author(s) -
Sengupta Mahua,
Karmakar Bibha
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
american journal of human biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.559
H-Index - 81
eISSN - 1520-6300
pISSN - 1042-0533
DOI - 10.1002/ajhb.20601
Subject(s) - fluctuating asymmetry , heritability , heredity , polygene , biology , principal component analysis , genetics , mendelian inheritance , hum , anthropometry , major gene , polychoric correlation , asymmetry , evolutionary biology , correlation , statistics , quantitative trait locus , gene , geography , mathematics , art , geometry , physics , archaeology , quantum mechanics , performance art , art history
To understand the genetics of Fluctuating Asymmetry (FA) and Directional Asymmetry (DA), the present study comprised 14 bilateral morphometric traits from 200 Vaidya families including 824 individuals (of two generations) from North 24 Parganas, West Bengal. The statistical analysis included: Regression analysis to remove the age effect, Familial correlation, Heritability estimation, Principal Component Analysis and Segregation Analysis (SA) using genetic model test. The obtained results revealed little effect of genetic factor and considerable amount of environmental influence on anthropometric asymmetry. The results support the idea postulated by several previous authors that FA provides a measure of developmental instability in man. The contribution of heredity on these asymmetric variables is not unimportant but that of the common environment is very substantial. The magnitude of heritability of DA traits is slightly higher than that of FA traits. Five principal factors were detected from these asymmetric traits (three factors are on asymmetry on length, head, and breadth; while last two factors represent the asymmetry of diameters). SA did not suggest any evidence of major gene contribution. But the involvement of minor genes or polygenes could not be discarded. As the study on SA of asymmetry in man is limited, similar other studies are needed to confirm the result of the present study.Am. J. Hum. Biol. 19:399–408, 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.