Molecular diversity of mitochondrial DNA in Iranian Azeri ethnicities vis-a-vis other Azeris in Asia

Abstract

In order to investigate the molecular diversity of mtDNA in Azeri population, 133 Azeri subjects inhabiting different regions of Azerbaijan (Iran) were selected. Blood samples were taken from these subjects for mtDNA extraction. The extracted mtDNA samples were then studied by the PCR-RFLP method. Fourteen haplogroups were characterized from which 82% were identified as European specific haplogroups. The H haplogroup was the most frequent and 79 haplotypes were specified. In this study, the Iranian Azeri population was found to be a heterogenic population where all the specific haplogroups of Asians, Europeans and Africans were present in the studied population. Comparing the haplogroups of the present investigation with other populations indicated a very close similarity with other Iranian populations, but was different from haplogroups of other Asian populations who also speak the Azeri language.