Population and forensic data for three sets of forensic genetic markers in four ethnic groups from Iran: Persians, Lurs, Kurds and Azeris

A total of 255 individuals (Persians, Lurs, Kurds and Azeris) from Iran were typed for three sets of forensic genetic markers with the NGM SElect™, DIPplex® and Argus X-12 kits. Statistically significant deviations (P ≤ 0.002) from Hardy-Weinberg expectations were observed for the insertion-deletion markers HLD97 and HLD93 after Holm-Å idák correction. Statistically significant (P < 0.05) levels of linkage disequilibrium were observed between markers within two of the four studied X-chromosomal linkage groups. AMOVA analyses of the three sets of markers did not show population structure when the individuals were grouped according to their ethnic group. The Iranian population grouped closely to populations living geographically near to Iran based on pairwise FST distances. The matching probabilities ranged from 1 in 3.2 × 107 males by using haplotype frequencies of four X-chromosomal haplogroups to 1 in 3.4 × 1021 individuals for the 16 autosomal STRs.