Mitochondrial DNA polymorphisms in the Albanian population of Calabria (Southern Italy)

RFLPs of mtDNA for HpaI, BamHI, HaeII, MspI, AvaII and HincII were analyzed in 100 individuals from 15 Albanian villages of the Cosenza province (Calabria, Southern Italy). Thirteen mtDNA types were identified, one of which is new and is due to an AvaII morph (AvaII 27Alb) never described before. Other two types (15-2 and 40-2) previously unfound in Italians were detected in one and two individuals respectively. The intra-group homogeneity (F=.49) resulted to be the highest found among the Italian groups examined so far. It is however very similar to that of a control sample of the Calabria population (F=.46). On the whole no important differences have emerged in the comparison between Albanians and not Albanians from Calabria. These results can indicate either that the markers we examined are not discriminative or that genetic admixture has occurred at least by immigration of Calabrian women into the Albanian group.