[Mitochondrial DNA polymorphism in the Han, Miao, Buyi, and Shui ethnic groups from Guizhou province].

Sixteen restriction endonucleases were used to assay the mtDNA polymorphism in the Han, Miao, Buyi and Shui ethnic groups from Guizhou province. Thirty-one restriction patterns were observed in a total of 150 subjects studied, out of which HacII-13, EcoRV-3 and PstI-4 are first reported by this paper. From all restriction patterns disclosed by 16 enzymes, twenty-eight mtDNA types were obtained. UPG method and parsimony networks were employed to analyze the clustering relationships between types or populations. Following conclusions are obtained: the mt-DNA from the Shui nationality possesses the highest polymorphism; the Han and the Miao are most closely related; and the genetic relation between the Buyi and the Shui is somewhat distant.