Y-specific DNA polymorphisms of the YAP element and the locus DYS19 in the Korean population

The Y Alu polymorphic (YAP) element (DYS287) and the Y-linked tetranucleotide microsatellite locus DYS19 were examined in samples from a total of 455 unrelated males in the Korean population. The frequency of the YAP allele was found to be 1.3% (6/455) in the Korean population. These results are consistent with previous reports that showed the YAP element to be absent in most Asian populations, with the exception of the high frequency of the YAP allele in the Japanese population. All five common alleles at the DYS19 locus were identified in this study, The C allele was the most frequent (197/455), followed by the D (119/455), B (78/455), E (41/455), and A (20/455) alleles. Seven combination haplotypes (DYS287/DYS19) were found, and the mean combination haplotype diversity in the Korean population appeared to be 0.71. Based on results of these two loci, Japanese and Korean populations may share some common genetic structure that could reflect recent gene flow and some amount of admixture of Y chromosomes between these two populations.