OBJECTIVETo study the genetic polymorphism of 15 short tandem repeats (STR)(D2S1338, D3S1358, D5S818, D7S820, D8S1179, D13S317, D16S539, D18S51, D19S433, D21S11, CSF1PO, TPOX, TH01, vWA, FGA) in Mulao nationality of Guangxi province, and to explore genetic relationship between Mulao nationality and other 10 nationalities.

METHODSThe allelic frequencies and the genotype of 15 STR loci were generated from 183 unrelated individuals in Mulao nationality and other 10 nationalities of Guangxi by PCR-STR and genescan. Phylogenetic tree were constracted neighbor-Joining method.

RESULTSThere were 136 STR alleles and 422 genotypes in the 15 STR of Mulao nationality, with its allele frequencies ranging from 0.0027 to 0.5243. The average heterozygosity was 0.7632, the accumulative discrimination power was more than 0.999 999 999 9, and the probability of paternity exclusion was more than 0.999 998 469 8. The genetic distances between Mulao nationality and other minority of Guangxi were much closer than those between Mulao nationality and Han nationality and Uighur nationlity.

CONCLUSIONThe 15 STR loci of Mulao nationality in Guangxi possesses the characteristics of high genetic diversity, except the TPOX locus. They can be employed in group genetic investigation, individual and paternity test in forensic medicine. The genetic distances between Mulao nationality and other minority of Guangxi are more closer than those between Mulao nationality and Han nationality and Uighur nationality.