Full Length Research Article
Retraction in process: Genetic Characterization of Wakhi People from Hunza Valley of Pakistan by employing Mitochondrial DNA Control Region
Marriam Jaffer1, Muhammad Saqib Shahzad1, Zia Ur Rahman1, Azam Ali2*, Saeeda Kalsoom2, Javed Iqbal Bajwa3, Muhammad Farooq Sabar4, Alamgir Alvi5
Adv. life sci., vol. 9, no. 1, pp. 13-17, May 2022
*- Corresponding Author: Azam Ali (Email: azam.ali@imbb.uol.edu.pk)
Authors' Affiliations
2. Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, The University of Lahore, Lahore – Pakistan
. Faisalabad Medical University, Faisalabad – Pakistan
4. Centre for Applied Molecular Biology (CAMB), The University of Punjab, Lahore – Pakistan
5. Soil and Water Testing Lab Jhelum – Pakistan
Editorial Expression of Concern
20 June 2025: Following publication of this paper, the internal audit (consequent to concerns on quality raised by Web of Science) notified Advancements in Life Sciences about suspected plagiarism. By this Editorial Expression of Concern, we alert the scientific community of the errors as we reconcile the records.
Editorial Note:
25 June 2025: While rerunning the Turnitin originality analysis, a similarity index of 28% was found for this article (7% from a single source). Editorial board of Advancements in Life Sciences has started the process of retracting this article due to the above post-publication findings. The process shall be concluded after registering responses from the authors. Meanwhile, full text of the article shall remain unavailable for citations (this notice has been updated following insights derived from relevant COPE cases and the industry standards). Show of cause notice has also been issued to the concerned editorial team member.
Abstract
Introduction
Methods
Results
Discussion
References
Abstract
Background: Study of populations at genetic level marks high importance in terms of determination of population specific patterns. The study and analysis of population specific genetic patterns have wide ranging applications from medicine to forensic science. The study of mtDNA control regions gives the insight of maternal lineages of particular ethnic group and their evolutionary as well emigrational history.
Methods: This research gives information of mitochondrial DNA haplotypes data of CR (control region) covering the area from 16024bp to 576bp of mitochondrial DNA of Wakhi population of Hunza valley from Pakistan. Samples of 40 unrelated Wakhi from upper Hunza were sequenced and their sequences encapsulating mtDNA control region was compared to rCRSs (revised Cambridge reference sequence) to see maternally inherited DNA variation at genetic level in this population.
Results: The results showed that all forty (40) haplotypes are unique. The haplotypes corresponded to 67.9% West Eurasian haplogroups followed by the Middle East and variety of Asian haplogroups exhibiting admixed maternal genetics of this population. Wakhi population comes with high genetic diversity (0.998) in turn lowest random match probability (0.026) and high power of discrimination (0.974).
Conclusion: This study gives interesting highlights important aspect of uni-parental genetics of Wakhi population and is also a contribution to mtDNA control region data of Pakistani populations for applications in criminal investigations.
Keywords: Forensic Science; Control region; Haplogroup; Genetic diversity