{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,16]],"date-time":"2026-07-16T20:15:53Z","timestamp":1784232953298,"version":"3.55.0"},"reference-count":64,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"4","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,1]],"date-time":"2026-04-01T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1775001600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Public Ministry of Honduras"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Genes"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: The Pech ethnic group, comprising approximately 6024 individuals in northeastern Honduras, represents one of the country\u2019s smallest indigenous communities with a rich cultural heritage extending to pre-Columbian times. Despite their historical significance, no population genetic studies have been conducted on this group, and population-specific databases are essential for accurate forensic applications. Methods: Allele frequencies for 23 autosomal short tandem repeat (STR) loci were determined in 100 unrelated Pech individuals (58 females, 42 males) from communities in the departments of Olancho, Col\u00f3n, and Gracias a Dios. DNA was extracted from blood samples collected on FTA cards and amplified using the PowerPlex Fusion 6C System. Statistical parameters were calculated using Genepop v4.2 and Arlequin v5.3.2.2. Results: All loci exhibited substantial polymorphism. No statistically significant deviations from Hardy\u2013Weinberg equilibrium were detected after Bonferroni correction (\u03b1 = 0.0022). Expected heterozygosity ranged from 0.4033 (TH01) to 0.8563 (FGA). The combined power of discrimination exceeded 99.9999%, and the combined chance of exclusion was 99.9999%. Conclusions: This study presents the first genetic characterization of the Pech population, providing essential reference data for forensic identification, paternity testing, and population genetics research. The dataset fills a critical gap in the Honduran forensic genetic infrastructure and contributes to understanding indigenous Central American genetic diversity, enabling accurate forensic analyses for individuals of Pech ancestry in compliance with CODIS and ESS standards.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/genes17040422","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,2]],"date-time":"2026-04-02T07:57:55Z","timestamp":1775116675000},"page":"422","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Population Genetic Data for 23 STR Loci of the Pech Ethnic Group in Honduras"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"17","author":[{"given":"Antonieta","family":"Zuniga","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Direcci\u00f3n de Medicina Forense, Ministerio P\u00fablico, Tegucigalpa 11101, Honduras"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9485-2658","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Yolly","family":"Molina","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Direcci\u00f3n de Medicina Forense, Ministerio P\u00fablico, Tegucigalpa 11101, Honduras"},{"name":"Center for Biomedical Imaging Diagnostics Research and Rehabilitation, National Autonomous University of Honduras, Tegucigalpa 11101, Honduras"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Karen","family":"Amaya","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Direcci\u00f3n de Medicina Forense, Ministerio P\u00fablico, Tegucigalpa 11101, Honduras"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0006-4201-3733","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Zintia","family":"Moya","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Direcci\u00f3n de Medicina Forense, Ministerio P\u00fablico, Tegucigalpa 11101, Honduras"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Patricia","family":"Soriano","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Direcci\u00f3n de Medicina Forense, Ministerio P\u00fablico, Tegucigalpa 11101, Honduras"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Digna","family":"Pineda","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Direcci\u00f3n de Medicina Forense, Ministerio P\u00fablico, Tegucigalpa 11101, Honduras"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Yessica","family":"Pinto","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Direcci\u00f3n de Medicina Forense, Ministerio P\u00fablico, Tegucigalpa 11101, Honduras"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Oscar","family":"Garc\u00eda","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Basque Country Forensic Genetics Laboratory, Larrauri Mendotxe 18, 48950 Erandia, Spain"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1410-7189","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Isaac","family":"Zablah","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Medical Sciences, National Autonomous University of Honduras, Calle la Salud, Tegucigalpa 11101, Honduras"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,1]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"Butler, J.M. 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