Moroccan whole genome sequencing

Human genetic diversity is highest in Africa. However, only a minority of human whole genome sequence data is from Africans. Studies that have included Africans have only sampled a limited number of geographic areas, in particular concentrating on sub-Saharan populations. We have sequenced the genomes of three healthy Moroccan individuals; one to a depth of 30X and two to 16X. Morocco is to the north of the Sahara and borders the Mediterranean Sea. The Moroccan population has therefore had both a physical barrier to gene flow with sub-Saharan Africans and opportunities for gene flow with populations in Europe and West Asia. Our aim was to start to characterise genetic variants in the Moroccan population.