Molecular Biology and Human Diversity

This 1996 volume discusses molecular evidence and methods behind current theories of human diversity and evolution.

Anthony J. Boyce (Edited by), C. G. Nicholas Mascie-Taylor (Edited by)

9780521019224, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 8 September 2005

324 pages, 80 b/w illus. 30 tables
23.5 x 15.6 x 2 cm, 0.65 kg

"All in all, this book is a fair and useful representation of our knowledge of human genetic diversity near the end of this century." The Quarterly Review of Biology

Considerable attention is being paid to the use of molecular evidence in studies of human diversity and origins. Much of the early work was based on evidence from mitochondrial DNA, but this has been supplemented by important information from nuclear DNA from both the Y chromosomes and the autosomes. The bulk of the material available is also from living populations, but this is being extended by the study of DNA from archaic populations. The underlying models used in interpreting this evidence are developments of the neutral theory of molecular evolution, but also consider the possible role of selection. This 1996 volume brings together evidence from an international group of research workers. It will be an important reference for researchers in human biology, molecular biology and genetics alike.

1. Mitochondrial DNA in ancient and modern humans E. Hagelberg
2. Digital DNA typing of human paternal lineages M. A. Jobling, N. Bouzekri, N. Fretwell, G. A. Dover and A. J. Jeffreys
3. Minisatellites as tools for population genetic analysis J. Flint, J. Bond, R. M. Harding and J. B. Clegg
4. DNA fingerprinting: development of a technology and its application to the study of human populations A. P. Ryskov, M. I. Prosnyak, N. S. Kupriyanova, E. K. Khusnutdinova, I. M. Khidiatova, V.V. Kalnin, O.V. Kalnina, K. B. Bulkayeva and S. A. Limborska
5. Kinship, breeding and matching probabilities N. E. Morton and J. Teague
6. Using the coalescent to interpret gene trees R. M. Harding
7. Some attempts at measuring natural selection by malaria A. V. S. Hill
8. AIDA: geographical patterns of DNA diversity investigated by autocorrelation statistics G. Barbujani and G. Bertorelle
9. Mitochondrial DNA sequences in Europe: an insight into population history J. Betranpetit, F. Calafell, D. Comas, A. Pérez-Lezaun and E. Mateu
10. Palaeolithic and neolithic contributions to the European mitochondrial gene pool B. Sykes, H. Côrte-Real and M. Richards
11. The molecular diversity of the Niokholo Mandenkalu from Eastern Senegal: and insight into West Africa genetic theory L. Excoffier, E. S . Poloni, S. Santachiara-Benerecetti, O. Semino, and A. Langaney
12. The peopling of Madagascar H. Soodyall, T. Jenkins, R. Hewitt, A. Krause, M. Stoneking
13. Molecular perspectives on the colonisation of the Pacific J. J. Martinson
14. Population ancestry on Tristan da Cunha - the evidence of the individual D. F. Roberts and H. Soodyall
15. Linguistic divergence and genetic evolution: molecular perspectives from the New World R. H. Ward
16. Allelic sequence diversity at the human b-globulin locus S. M. Fullerton
17. A nuclear perspective on human evolution K. K. Kidd and J. R. Kidd
18. Contrasting gene trees and population trees of the evolution of modern humans N. Saitou
19. Methods and models for understanding human diversity H. C. Harpending, J. H. Relethford and S. T. Sherry
Index.

Subject Areas: Human biology [PSX]