Genetic Polymorphism of 15 STR Loci in the Population of the Island of Cres

The population of the island of Cres presents one of the few persisting Eastern Adriatic isolates and is thereby suitable for human population differentiation analyses. The aim of this study was to analyze genetic structure of the island of Cres with respect to its eight subpopulations, and to compare genetic variation of the island of Cres with other Eastern Adriatic islands and Croatian mainland. The 15 AmpFlSTR Identifiler loci were analyzed in the sample of 122 unrelated autochthonous individuals from the island of Cres, Croatia. The analysis of STR polymorphisms revealed genetic homogeneity among subpopulations of the island of Cres and small but significant levels of genetic heterogeneity among geographically distant Eastern Adriatic islands. Despite considerable degree of genetic homogeneity among studied Eastern Adriatic islands, small but significant differentiation between distant islands indicates geographic substructuring which follows the isolation by distance model. This study is supportive of the notion that STR markers might be more useful for genetic differentiation between larger and geographically more distant regions.