Genetic Origins of Minority Groups in China and Thailand

云南省（位于中国西南部）有20多个民族，他们仍然保持着原始的文化遗产和习俗。目前，我们对它们的遗传起源和它们之间的关系知之甚少。另一方面，众所周知，许多少数民族居住在泰国的各个地理区域。值得注意的是，泰国的一些民族与云南的民族名称相同。然而，目前还不清楚云南和泰国的这些群体是否有共同的遗传背景。在本研究项目中，（1）我们检测了不同基因组区域（例如，线粒体DNA、HLA基因、血型、Y染色体DNA、常染色体微卫星DNA和β-珠蛋白基因）。(2)通过分析所获得的少数民族的数据，以及其他亚洲人群（如汉族，泰国和日本）的已发表数据，我们推断了整个亚洲人群中的种族群体的系统发育位置。(3)我们发现云南和泰国的一些民族有着密切的亲缘关系，暗示着过去中国南方和东南亚之间的人类迁徙。(4)用EB病毒处理少数民族外周血淋巴细胞，建立了永生化细胞系。

Yunnan province (situated in southwest China) has more than 20 ethnic groups, who still keep their original cultural heritage and practices. At present, we have little knowledge of their genetic origins and the relationships among them. On the other hand, it has been well known to be many ethnic minorities inhabiting various geographical regions of Thailand. Notably, some ethnic groups in Thailand have the same ethnic names as those in Yunnan. However, it remains unclear whether such groups in Yunnan and Thailand share common genetic background.In this research project, (1) we examined DNA polymorphisms on various genomic regions (e.g., mitochondrial DNA, HLA gene, blood types, Y chromosomal DNA, autosomal microsatellite DNA and β-globin gene) in several ethnic groups from Yunnan and Thailand. (2) By analyzing the obtained data for the ethnic minorities together with published data for other Asian populations (such as Han Chinese, Thai, and Japanese), we inferred the phylogenetic positions of the ethnic groups in the entire Asian populations. (3) We found that some ethnic groups in Yunnan and Thailand were closely related to each other, suggestive of past human migration between southern part of China and southeast Asia. (4) By treatment with Epstein-Barr virus, we established immortalized cell lines from peripheral blood-derived lymphocytes which were collected from the ethnic minorities.