Huge DNA Study Redefines Meaning of 'Mexican' David Perlman - SFGate
go to original June 14, 2014

Dr. Esteban Gonzales Burchard, a UCSF specialist in genetic medicine who has led a major computer project to unravel the genes that link modern Mexican-Americans with their ancestors, poses for a portrait in his lab in San Francisco, CA. (Michael Short/The Chronicle)

SAN FRANCISCO - A massive study decoding the genes of modern Mexicans has revealed their genetic links to pre-Columbian forebears who lived in Mexico hundreds to thousands of years ago.

Because so many diseases can be traced at least in part to the genetic aspects of disease, the new study led by researchers at Stanford and UCSF could prove important to the diagnosis and medical care of everyone with even a hint of ancient Mexico in their family tree, the scientists say.

"There is tremendous genetic diversity among Mexicans and Mexican-Americans, and one reason we undertook this study is that so much of what we've known until now has been based only on Europeans," said Carlos D. Bustamante, a Stanford geneticist and a lead researcher.

"Now we can see that diversity in the structure of Mexico's population and in its biomedical history."

Using the tools of the Human Genome Project, the researchers studied the genetic makeup of more than 1,000 people of Mexican ancestry - in their home country and in Los Angeles - and found a million genetic markers leading to various regions of Mexico where their ancient ancestors - like the Mayans, the Olmec, the Aztecs and many others - are known to have lived.

Most people of Mexican ancestry today are aware of their classic heritage, but the study shows for the first time their genetic connection to the regions of their original homelands and ancient predecessors.

Read the rest at SFGate

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