Question
Are Arabs genetically indistinguishable from Caucasians?
Answer
The question of whether Arabs are genetically indistinguishable from Caucasians is complex and involves examining genetic diversity and similarities across populations. Current research indicates that while there are shared genetic traits, there are also distinct genetic differences between Arab and Caucasian populations.
Genetic similarities and differences include:
Shared genetic traits: Studies have shown that there is a significant overlap in genetic markers between Arab and European populations. For instance, a study on protein quantitative trait loci (pQTLs) found that a majority of shared signals (81.8%) colocalised between European and Arab populations, indicating some level of genetic similarity (Thareja et al., 2022).
Distinct genetic variants: Arabs exhibit unique genetic variants not commonly found in Caucasian populations. For example, certain genetic polymorphisms associated with obesity and hearing loss are distinct to Arabs, suggesting unique genetic profiles (Sidenna, Fadl and Zayed, 2019; Younes et al., 2021). Additionally, the genetic architecture of Arabs shows significant heterogeneity, with distinct haplotypes and alleles that differ from those in Caucasian populations (Hajjej et al., 2018; Razali et al., 2021).
Genetic heterogeneity: Arab populations are highly heterogeneous, with genetic diversity influenced by historical migrations and environmental factors. This diversity is reflected in the presence of unique alleles and haplotypes, as well as differences in drug metabolism genes compared to Caucasians (Hajjej et al., 2018; Bu et al., 2004).
While there are genetic similarities between Arabs and Caucasians, particularly in shared genetic markers, Arabs also possess distinct genetic traits and a high degree of genetic heterogeneity. This indicates that Arabs are not genetically indistinguishable from Caucasians, as there are both shared and unique genetic characteristics within each group.
References
Thareja, G., Belkadi, A., Arnold, M., Albagha, O., Graumann, J., Schmidt, F., Grallert, H., Peters, A., Gieger, C., Consortium, T., & Suhre, K., 2022. Differences and commonalities in the genetic architecture of protein quantitative trait loci in European and Arab populations. Human Molecular Genetics, 32, pp. 907 – 916. https://doi.org/10.1093/hmg/ddac243
Sidenna, M., Fadl, T., & Zayed, H., 2019. Genetic Epidemiology of Hearing Loss in the 22 Arab Countries: A Systematic Review.. Otology & Neurotology. https://doi.org/10.1097/MAO.0000000000002489
Younes, S., Ibrahim, A., Al-Jurf, R., & Zayed, H., 2021. Genetic polymorphisms associated with obesity in the Arab world: a systematic review. International Journal of Obesity (2005), 45, pp. 1899 – 1913. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41366-021-00867-6
Hajjej, A., Almawi, W., Arnaiz-Villena, A., Hattab, L., & Hmida, S., 2018. The genetic heterogeneity of Arab populations as inferred from HLA genes. PLoS ONE, 13. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0192269
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