Abstract: The purpose of this research was to study the genetic relationships of the 7 Y chromosomal short tandem repeat gene loci (abbreviated as 7 Y2STR gene loci) in 13 populations. The frequency of alleles of the 7 Y2STR loci (DYS19, DYS389 I, DYS389 II, DYS390, DYS391, DYS392, DYS393) were obtained from a sample of 150 unrelated individuals living in Ningxia. We used multiplex amplification, and the genotypes were determined using Genescan and Genotype software of the ABI377 DNA sequencer. Once the genetic data was collected, genetic distance was calculated and a phylogenetic tree constructed. This tree showed that the Hui population of Ningxia, Han of Beijing, Yunnan, Anhui, Tianjing, Hunan, and Fujian peoples were in an identical cluster. Tibetan, Yugur, Pu nationalities and others were another cluster. It is clear that the Hui population have genetic affiliations with the Han in China and thus provide molecular biological evidence for Hui nationality genetic affiliation. The 7 Y2STR gene frequency distribution in 18 groups is clearly parallel to geographic distance.

Key words: Y2STR; Genetic distance; Cluster analysis; Hui nationality; Ningxia