1. ¹Institute for Anthropological Research, Zagreb, Croatia
2. ²University of Tartu and Estonian Biocentre, Tartu, Estonia
3. ³'Andrija tampar' School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia

Correspondence: Dr L Bara, Institute for Anthropological Research, Amrueva 8, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia. Tel: +385 1 4816 904; Fax: +385 1 4813 777; E-mail: lovorka@luka.inantro.hr

Received 15 October 2002; Revised 24 January 2003; Accepted 13 February 2003.

Abstract

Y chromosome variation in 457 Croatian samples was studied using 16 SNPs/indel and eight STR loci. High frequency of haplogroup I in Croatian populations and the phylogeographic pattern in its background STR diversity over Europe make Adriatic coast one likely source of the recolonization of Europe following the Last Glacial Maximum. The higher frequency of I in the southern island populations is contrasted with higher frequency of group R1a chromosomes in the northern island of Krk and in the mainland. R1a frequency, while low in Greeks and Albanians, is highest in Polish, Ukrainian and Russian populations and could be a sign of the Slavic impact in the Balkan region. Haplogroups J, G and E that can be related to the spread of farming characterize the minor part (12.5%) of the Croatian paternal lineages. In one of the southern island (Hvar) populations, we found a relatively high frequency (14%) of lineages belonging to P^*(xM173) cluster, which is unusual for European populations. Interestingly, the same population also harbored mitochondrial haplogroup F that is virtually absent in European populations – indicating a connection with Central Asian populations, possibly the Avars.