Zadra et al.1 report that both type II and type III mutations of coagulation factor XI are present among Italians at low but approximately equal proportions. In spite of the fact that they have not conducted a linkage disequilibrium analysis they conclude that “haplotype analysis demonstrated the Jewish origin of both the type II and type III mutations” and that “gene flow was responsible for the diffusion of these mutations among Italians”.
A more likely scenario is that the mutations originated in the Italian population, similarly to the non-Jewish European origin of the common Ashkenazi Gaucher mutation, N370S.2 This coincides with the postulated origin of Ashkenazi Jews in Italy,3,4 and with the ancient Roman Jewish community being mainly a community of proselytes.5–8 Genetic distance analyses also demonstrate the resemblance between the major Ashkenazi population, Eastern European Jews, and Italians.9–11
References
- Zadra G, Asselta R, Tenchini ML, Castaman G, Seligsohn U, Mannucci PM. Simultaneous genotyping of coagulation factor XI type II and type III mutations by multiplex real-time polymerase chain reaction to determine their prevalence in healthy and factor XI-deficient Italians. Haematologica. 2008; 93:715-21. Google Scholar
- Rodriguez-Mari A, Diaz-Font A, Chabas A, Pastores GM, Grinberg D, Vilageliu L. New insights into the origin of the Gaucher disease-causing mutation N370S: extended haplo-type analysis using the 5GC3.2, 5470 G/A, and ITG6.2 polymorphisms. Blood Cells Mol Dis. 2001; 27:950-9. Google Scholar
- A historical atlas of the Jewish people. Hutchinson: London; 1992. Google Scholar
- The history of the people of Israel. Massada: Givataim, Israel; 1985. Google Scholar
- Eilat T. Tel-Aviv University: Tel-Aviv; 1979. Google Scholar
- The Diaspora in the Hellenistic-Roman world. The Society For The Publication Of The History Of The Jewish People: Israel; 1983. Google Scholar
- Meroz N. Proselytism in the Roman Empire in the first centuries A.D. [MA dissertation]. Tel-Aviv University: Tel-Aviv; 1992. Google Scholar
- Rapaport U. Jewish religious propaganda and proselytism in the period of the second commonwealth [PhD dissertation]. The Hebrew University: Jerusalem; 1965. Google Scholar
- Isolation Migration and Health. Cambridge University Press: Cambridge; 1992. Google Scholar
- Zoossmann-Diskin A, Joel A, Liron M, Kerem B, Shohat M, Peleg L. Protein electrophoretic markers in Israel: compilation of data and genetic affinities. Ann Hum Biol. 2002; 29:142-75. Google Scholar
- Zoossmann-Diskin A, Gazit E, Peleg L, Shohat M, Turner D. Thrombophilic polymorphisms in Israel. Blood Cells Mol Dis. 2008. Google Scholar