Haptoglobin and transferrin variation in humans and primates: two new transferrins in Chinese and Japanese populations

• Published in: Annals of Human Genetics
• Main Authors: PARKER, W. CAREY, BEARN, ALEXANDER G.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Wiley 1962
• Subjects: Indian; eskimo*
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-1809.1962.tb01523.x; https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1111%2Fj.1469-1809.1962.tb01523.x; https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1469-1809.1962.tb01523.x

Summary 1. Haptoglobin and transferrin gene frequencies have been determined for Chinese, Japanese, New York City Negro, Sapelo Negro, and Eskimo populations. 2. A genetically determined transferrin variant D Chi was observed in 6 % of the individuals in the Chinese population. This previously undescribed transferrin migrated slightly more rapidly in starch gel electrophoresis than the transferrin D 1 of New York City Negroes. 3. A new transferrin variant B 3 was observed in a Japanese family. The mobility of this transferrin was slightly slower than the transferrin B 2 of Caucasian populations. 4. In many instances particular human transferrin variants appear to be restricted to particular populations. The variants which occur in Navajo Indian, Chinese, and Negro populations are discussed in terms of balanced polymorphism. 5. Examination of primate sera revealed four different molecular species of chimpanzee transferrin and eight molecular species of rhesus transferrin. All of the rhesus transferrins were more rapidly migrating than human transferrin C, and all of the chimpanzee transferrins migrated more slowly than the human type C. The gene frequencies of several of the primate transferrins are relatively high, whereas of the twelve human variants, only transferrin C is common. 6. The distribution of the haptoglobin‐1 allele in world populations shows a progressive East‐West increase from a low value of 0.18 in India to high values of 0.75 in South America and 0.80 in Africa. On the basis of haptoglobin gene frequencies, the proportion of non‐Negro ancestry in several U.S. Negro populations is approximately 40%; the calculated admixture is considerably greater than that estimated from other traits. 7. Sera from eight primate species revealed only a single intense haptoglobin band which migrated in the region of the human haptoglobin‐1 band. In addition, faint slower‐moving bands were frequently observed in the primate sera, and were occasionally seen in human Hpl‐1 sera. Chinese sera were collected with the ...