Abdfilbari Bener*

Department of Statistical Sciences, University College London, Gower Street, London WCIE 6BT, England

Received 5 October 1982 and accepted 15 February 1984

Keyword~: correlations, grandparents, grandchildren, heredity, genetics, dermatoglyphics.

Correlations between Grandparents and Their Grandchi ldren

The correlations between paternal and maternal grandparents and their grandchildren of both sexes For the occurrence ol'the maior dermatoglyphic patterns on soles have been caiculated. Such correlations reflect the amount of hereditary likeness between classes of relatives, and may provide clues to the number ofloci involved and to the degree of dominance that may exist for the specification of some patterns over others. A comparison of the dermatoglyphic sole pattern correlation of the various grandparents and their grandchildren and the inheritance sole patterns in such of the relatives has not yet been published. In the present study, an attempt was made to meet these deficiencies.

1. Introduction

The study ofgrandparental influence on dermatoglyphic patterns requires the collection of prints from three generations of related persons. As part of the analysis of a large collection of dermatoglyphic or sole-print data on grandparents and their grandchildren became available (Loesch, 197 l, 1974). This data has kindly been put at my disposal by Dr Danuta Loesch.

In theory a grandchild inherits one-fourth of its genome, on average, from each grandparent. It is shown here that paternal and maternal grandparents exert quite different and identifiable chromosomal and o6cytoplasmic influences on the specification of dermatoglyphic pattern form.

The present investigation suggests that observations taken over two generations are useful and perhaps necessary if the more subtle influences of male and female contributions to complex phenotypes are to be discovered. Larger samples of grandparent-grandchild pairs for various human traits under partial genetic control should be sought in order to explore further the potential of this kind of analysis.

2. Material and Methods

The present material is derived tiom 559 Polish families. The dermatoglyphic sole characters analysed in this study were collected by Dr Danuta Loesch from villages in northeastern Poland and have been used in her earlier studies Loesch (1971) and Loesch (1974).

Eight types of grandparent-grandchild pairs were examined for the occurrence of dermatoglyphic pattern elements on soles. Agreement for the pattern in question was valued one for each member of the pair, and non-agreement was valued zero. After each value was standardized by Bener (1979), Bener & Erk (1979, 1980) and Erk & Bener

*Present Address: King Abdulaziz University, College of Engineering, Depar tment of Industrial Engineering, P.O. Box 9027, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Journal of Human Evolution (1984) 13, 483-486

0047 2484/84/060483 + 04 $03.00/0 �9 1984 Academic Press Inc. (London) Limited

484 A. BENER

(1980). The coefficients of correlation were calculated by the methods detailed in Fisher (1970). The data were entered on punched cards and correlations between grandparents and grandchildren of both sexes in all combinations were determined. The calculations were done on the IBM 360/65 Computer at the University College London Computer Centre.

3. Results and Discussion

On a priori considerations alone, paternal grandfather influence on both grandsons and granddaughters (Figure 1, paths a and b) would be expected to be primarily chromosomal, whereas maternal grandmother influence would reflect both the chromosomal and o6cytoplasmic contributions from both the mother and grandmother (Figure 1, paths g and h). A comparison of the pattern elements correlation of the various grandparent- grandchild pairs might indicate whether this presumed difference in developmental influence is detectable. The other four classes of grandparent-grandchild pairs (Figure 1, paths c, d, e,J), have mixed gametic sequences (Bener, 1981).

Figure 1. The eight gametic sequences whereby grandparental influence is transmitted to grand- children. (D: male; (2): female; GPG: grandparental generation; PG: parental generation; GCG: grandchild generation.)

GPG

PG

GCG

\\ \\b

o \ \ \ \

[

[2}--0 c// U/

,',lh i/" //

, \ i /," i,: \ ,.,}./;'" i/

The correlations obtained are presented in Table 1. It is clear that parental influence, whether genetic or not, is expressed in individual pattern elements on soles in different ways. Maternal influence is somewhat stronger than paternal influence usually in all relationships. Maternal grandfather-grandson is often greater than paternal grandfather-grandson correlation. Also, maternal grandfather-granddaughter is often greater than paternal grandfather-granddaughter correlation. However, maternal grandmother-grandson is often greater than the paternal grandmother-grandson correlation. Further, maternal grandmother-granddaughter is usually less than the paternal grandmother-granddaughter correlation. Additionally, grandparent-grandchild pairs are taken together, the correlations are positive for each pattern.

We may conclude that, there is a clear implication that chromosomal factors are much less important in specifying some patterns in grandsons than are o6cytoplasmic or in utero

Table 1

GRANDPARENT--GRANDCHILD CORRELATIONS 485

Correlation between grandparents and their grandchildren for the occurrence of the dermatoglyphic pattern elements on soles

Grandfather Grandfather Grandmother Grandmother Grand- grandson -g /daughter -grandson g/daughter parent

Relatives Pat. Mat. Pat. Mat. Pat. Mat. Pat. Mat. g/child

Theoretical correlations for additive genetic characters 1/4 1/4 1/4 1/4 1/4 1/4 1/4 1/4 1/4

No. of pairs 59 53 62 55 88 74 76 56 516

Name of dermatoglyphic pattern elements on soles

DistaIloop I r 0'34 0'03 0"24 -0 '29 -0"20 0"89 0"15 0'08 0"32 Standard error • 0-12 0"14 0-13 0-13 0"11 0"05 0"11 0'14 0"04 Dis ta l loop l I r - 0 ' 15 -0-17 0"77 -0 '12 0"13 -0-04 0"00 -0"25 0"08 Standard error _+S.E. 0"13 0-14 0"08 0-14 0"11 0"12 0'12 0"13 0"04 Dis ta l loop l I I r 0'17 -0"29 0'48 0"50 0'18 0"08 0"48 -0"43 //'20 Standard error +S.E. 0-13 0-13 (/.11 0.12 0.11 0-12 0.10 0-12 0.04 Dis ta l loop lV r -0"05 0"64 -0 ' 13 0"55 0'22 -0"15 0"90 -0"16 0'07 Standard Error • 0-13 0-11 0'13 0-11 0-i1 0"12 0'12 0"13 0'04 Distal loop V r 0"10 0'04 -0"03 0'09 0'2i -0"17 0"30 -0"05 0"18 Standard error • 0"13 0'14 0"13 0'14 0"11 0"12 0"11 0'14 0"04 Proximalloop I r 0"25 0'53 -0"03 0'18 -0"13 0'21 0"02 0"26 0"06 Standard error • 0"13 0"12 0"13 0'14 0"11 0"12 0"12 0'13 0"04 Proximalloop II r 0"01 0"27 0"25 0'07 -0"05 -0 '21 0"30 -0"07 0"05 Standard error +S.E. 0"13 0"13 0-13 0"14 0-11 (/-12 0-11 0'14 0"04 Prox imal loopl I I r - 0 ' 23 0"12 0"36 0"72 -0 ' 09 -0"29 0'08 -0"18 0-01 Standard error • 0"13 0"14 0"12 0-10 0"11 0"11 0"12 0-13 0"04 Proximalloop IV r -0-04 0"05 -0"07 0"21 0'01 -0"05 - 0 ' 0 2 0'00 -0 ' 03 Standard error • 0"13 0'14 0"13 0-13 0'11 0"12 (t'12 0-14 0"04 Proximal loop V r 0"33 -0"23 0'26 -0"16 -0"02 0'12 0'16 0"44 0"13 Standard error • 0"13 0'14 0"12 0"14 0"11 0'12 0"11 0"12 0"04 Pattern int. I r 0-12 0-04 0"08 0"24 -0"20 0'70 0"12 0"47 0"23 Standard error • 0'13 0"14 0"13 0'13 0-11 0"08 0"12 0"12 0-04 Pattern int. II r -0 .11 -0-16 0-55 0"01 0"05 -0 .17 0-19 -0.31 0.05 Standard error +S.E. 0'13 0"14 0'11 0"14 0"11 0"12 0"11 0"13 0-04 Pattern int. III r 0-00 0-01 0-31 0-84 0'22 0.01 0'41 0.04 0.22 Standard error • 0.13 0.14 0.12 0"07 0.11 0-12 0.11 0.14 0.04 Pattern int. IV r -0"14 0"46 0'01 0"22 0"26 0"19 0"I0 0"03 0'13 Standard error • 0"13 0"12 0.13 0.13 0.10 0.12 0.12 0.14 0.04 Pattern int. V. r 0"30 0"37 0"25 -0-17 -0"01 0"12 0"21 0"27 0"11 Standard error • 0'13 0"13 0"13 0'14 0"11 0"12 0-11 0"13 0"04

e n v i r o n m e n t a l o n e s . O n t h e o t h e r h a n d , p o s i t i v e c o r r e l a t i o n s w i t h g r a n d m o t h e r -

g r a n d d a u g h t e r p a i r s a n d n e g a t i v e c o r r e l a t i o n s w i t h m a t e r n a l g r a n d m o t h e r -

g r a n d d a u g h t e r p a i r s , s u g g e s t t h a t o g c y t o p l a s m i c a n d m a t e r n a l e n . v i r o n m e n t a l f a c t o r s a r e

s t r o n g e r t h a n c h r o m o s o m a l o n e s i n d e r m a t o g l y p h i c p a t t e r n e l e m e n t s o n so l e s .

T h e a u t h o r e x p r e s s e s h i s g r a t i t u d e to D r D a n u t a L o e s c h , o f t h e D e p a r t m e n t o f G e n e t i c s ,

P s y c h o n e u r o l o g i c a l I n s t i t u t e W a r s a w , fbr t h e u s e o f d a t a f r o m t h e P o l i s h P o p u l a t i o n

D e r m a t o g l y p h i c s t u d y . H e a l s o e x p r e s s e s h i s a p p r e c i a t i o n to P ro f . M e r v y n S t o n e fo r t h e

486 A. BENER

many courtesies extended to him while working at the University Cdllege London of the Department of Statistical Sciences and to Dr Sarah B. Holt for her most helpful comments on the manuscript.

References

Bener, A. (1979). Correlation between relatives, their theoretical values for autosomal and sex-linked characters with respect to dermatoglyphic characters. Coll. Antropol. 3, 211-223.

Bener, A. & Erk, F. C. (1979). The analysis of whorls on specific fingertips with respect to sex, bilateral asymmetry and genetic relationship. Annals of Human Biology 6, 349-356.

Bener~ A. & Erk, F. C, (1980). Correlation between relatives with respect to dermatoglyphic patterns on specific fingertips. II. Sib-sib correlations. Human Biology 52, 756-772.

Bener, A. (1981). Grandparental influences in the expression of dermatoglyphic patterns on the fingertips. The International Conference on Dermatoglyphics, 20-23 September 1981, Athens, Greece. Progress in Dermatoglyphics PCBR, Vol. 84, pp. 145-156. New York: Alan R. Liss.

Erk, F. C. & Bener, A. (1980). Correlation between relatives with respect to dermatoglyphic patterns on specific fingertips. Human Biology 52, 753-763.

Fisher, R. A. (1970). Statistical Metho&for Research Workers, 14th Ed. Edinburgh: Oliver & Boyd. Loesch, D. (1971), The inheritance of pattern elements on soles. Human Biology 43, 295-302. Loesch, D. (1974). Genetical studies &sole and palmar Dermatoglyphics. Annals of Human Genetics 37,405-419.