Genetic distribution of 39 STR loci in 1027 unrelated Han individuals from Northern China

The Han Ethnic Group is the largest among the 56 ethnic groups in China, accounting for 92% of the total population. The Han people are found in all parts of the country. One study showed that the Han Chinese population was actually substructured in a complex manner, with the main observed clusters roughly corresponding to the Northern-Han, Central-Han, and Southern-Han populations [ [1] Xu S. Yin X. Li S. Jin W. Lou H. Yang L. Gong X. Wang H. Shen Y. Pan X. He Y. Yang Y. Wang Y. Fu W. An Y. Wang J. Tan J. Qian J. Chen X. Zhang X. Sun Y. Zhang X. Wu B. Jin L. Genomic dissection of population substructure of Han Chinese and its implication in association studies. Am. J. Hum. Genet. 2009; 85: 762-774 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (273) Google Scholar ]. In the present study, population genetic data and forensic parameters of 39 autosomal short tandem repeats (STRs) were obtained from 1027 unrelated Chinese Han individuals residing in Northern China (Hebei, Henan, and Shanxi provinces) (Fig. S1).