Abstract

Variation in mitochondrial DNA (mt-DNA) was studied in a population sample of 154 Lithuanians after cleavage with 15 different restriction endonucleases and probing with cat mt-DNA. Polymorphic variations were found with 8 restriction endonucleases. The most frequent mt-DNA cleavage patterns (morphs) were HpaI-2 (98.7%), BamHI-1 (94.8%), HaeII-1 (91.0%), MspI-1 (99.3%), AvaII-1 (86.4%), and HincII-2 (99.4%). The morph HaeII-12 previously described in Finns was found in two Lithuanians. Altogether 16 mt-DNA types were observed in the Lithuanian population. Type 1 was the most common one (81.2%), type 6 less and type 21 more frequent than in other populations. Lithuanians have high index of homogeneity (F = 0.663) compared to other Caucasoid populations. However, there appeared to be some differences between the two main ethnic groups, Aukstaiciai (Highlanders) and Zemaiciai (Lowlanders) with respect to the distribution of mt-DNA types. Measurements of genetic distance based on mt-DNA types were small between Lithuanians and Finns and increased gradually in comparison between Lithuanians and Mediterranean populations, Asiatic Mongoloids and African Blacks, respectively.