Alu Insertions and Genetic Diversity: A Preliminary Investigation by an Undergraduate Bioinformatics Class.

Alu-insertion polymorphisms were used by an undergraduate Bioinformatics class to study how these insertion sites could be the basis for an investigation in human population genetics. Based on the students' investigation, both allele and genotype Alu frequencies were determined for African-American and Japanese populations as well as a control. The three populations were tested for the presence of Alu-insertions on the 4 th , 10 th and 16 th chromosomes.