MtDNA variations in three main ethnic populations in Tuzla Canton of Bosnia and Herzegovina

This study was designed on the analysis of the mtDNA polymorphisms in three ethnic populations of Tuzla Canton of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Bosniaks, Croats and Serbs). The main aim of this study was to analyze the influences of the maternal gene flow on the genetic profile of the analyzed populations. The analysis of mtDNA variation based on relevant restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLP) in combination with HVSI variations of the control region (for detection of subhaplogroups of the haplogroup U) enabled the identification of the typical of the Western-Eurasian haplogroups (H, I, J, T, W, U, HV, HVO, K, V, and X), African/Near East lineages N1a and Asian haplogroup M. Our results suggest that mitochondrial gene pool of the three main ethnic groups of Tuzla region was shaped by influences of early and late migration routes which marked the settlement process of the Balkans. The effects of different migration directions are illustrated by the distribution of important indicators of the Late Glacial expansion (U5a), postglacial re-colonisation of Europe from glacial refuges of southwestern European (H, V, U5b1), central-eastern European Plain (U4), Italian Peninsula (U5b3) and neolithic expansion (U3, N1a, J and T). Our data can indicate a common genetic history, origin, as well as a similar contribution of the parental and maternal gene flow on genetic structure of the three main ethnic populations of modern Bosnia and Herzegovina.