D. Tills

Blood groups of the Irish.

Some 1800 blood donors from the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland have been tested for the antigens A A1 B H; M N Ss Henshaw; C c Cw D Du E e Ce; Wra; P1; Lua; K k Kpa; Fya Fyb; and Rd (Radin). The results are compared with those already available for Ireland and an attempt is made to interpret them in terms of populations movements. With the exception of the high O frequency in the West, believed to represent the remnants of Mesolithic peoples, the blood groups are very similar to those in the rest of Europe, and show no significant differences between the different provinces in Ireland.

Red cell and serum proteins and enzymes of the Irish.

The gene frequencies in a number of red cell and serum protein and enzyme polymorphisms were examined in blood specimens from some 1800 subjects in different parts of Ireland. In general, the gene frequencies are similar to other western European values, though AK2 and PGDC frequencies are slightly low and ADA2 slightly high. The populations of the different provinces of Ireland are generally similar in these polymorphic frequencies, though Ag, Lp and Gc suggest differences mainly involving the ancient province of Ulster.

Red Cell Antigen, Serum Protein and Red Cell Enzyme Polymorphisms in Karkar Islanders and Inhabitants of the Adjacent North Coast of New Guinea

Blood samples from the Waskia and Takia populations of Karkar Island, Papua New Guinea, and other nearby mainland populations, were tested for genetic variation in blood group, serum protein and red cell enzyme systems. Polymorphic variation was present in the ABO, P, MNS, Rh, Lewis, Duffy, Kidd and Gerbich blood group systems, in the Hp and Tf serum protein systems, and in the acid phosphatase, 6-PGD, ADA, PGM, MDH, and G-6-PD enzyme systems. A small number of variants was found in other systems: there were 4 Lu(a+), 1 Kp(a+), 2 C variants in the acid phosphatase system, 6 LDH variants, 1 ADA3-1 and 1 AK2-1 sample. All samples were negative for the red cell antigens Cw, Vw, He, K, Jsa, Dia, Wra, Rd and Marriott, and no variation was observed in the PHI enzyme system. The results are discussed in relation to those obtained on other Papua New Guinea populations.

The blood groups and other hereditary blood factors of the Icelanders

Bjarnason, Bjarnason, Edwards, Fridriksson, Magnusson, Mourant and Tills (1973) published preliminary data on a study of Iceland. The present paper gives the complete data of the study and extends the sample size for most of the genetic systems to over 1500 individuals, approximately 1/130 of the population. The sample was divided into seven subpopulations and these were compared using a genetic distance matrix. Considerable internal variation was revealed with two groups appearing very different. The seven regions were then compared with possible founding populations and no close relationships were found. The possible mechanism for the internal variation and the differences between Icelandic gene frequencies and those from other N.W. European populations are discussed.

Red Cell Antigen, Serum Protein and Red Cell Enzyme Polymorphisms in Eastern Highlanders of New Guinea

A series of 1,187 blood samples from eight population groups in the Eastern Highlands of Papua New Guinea were tested for genetic variation in blood groups, serum proteins and red cell enzyme systems. The populations belonged to the language groups Gahuku-Asarc-Bena Bena, Kamano, Yagaria, Keiagana, Fore, Agarabe, Auyana and Tairora. Polymorphic variation was found in the ABO, MNS, P1, Rh, Hp, Tf, SEP, 6-PGD, ADA, MDH, and PGM genetic systems. East to West variation was shown in the language groups; the O, S, R2, and R0 genes increase in frequency from East to West and the A, R1, and M genes decrease in the same direction. In the East higher frequencies were found for the Du antigen, for the PGM21 gene and for a PGM second locus variant. The MDH 3 variant was found in all the populations, its highest value being in the Tairora.

Blood group, protein, and red cell enzyme polymorphisms of the Hadza of Tanzania

SummaryThree subpopulations of the Hadza were examined for the following antigens and proteins including enzymes A1ABH, MNS Henshaw, C c CW D Du E e V Ce, Lua, KJsa, Fy1 Fy2, Jka Jkb, Dia, Wra, haemoglobin, haptoglobin, transferrin, acid phosphatase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase, phosphoglucomutase, adenylate kinase, lactate dehydrogenase, and malate dehydrogenase. The results are discussed in relation to other African populations including the Sandawe, Nyaturu, Pygmies, San, and Khoikhoi.

The occurrence of Hb E Saskatoon in Scotland.

SummaryThe finding of several examples of Hb E Saskatoon in the Orkney Islands, in Edinburgh and in individuals of Scottish descent in Canada but nowhere else, suggests that the original mutation occurred in Scotland, perhaps in the Orkneys.

Blood group variation in the Isle of Lewis

Blood groups and protein and enzyme polymorphism distributions were studied in 285 residents on the Isle of Lewis, in the Outer Hebrides. As well as gene frequency calculations for individual loci, genetic distance estimations were made and a phylogenetic tree was constructed. The results indicated several major differences from North-west European populations, with high values of R2(CDe), Rz(CDE) and P1. Among protein and enzyme polymorphisms Hp1, EAPA and PGM1(1) had very high frequencies. Genetic distances show Lewis to be unlike both Western and Eastern North European populations, while the phylogenetic tree shows a common, but rather distant, ancestry with Icelanders. This genetic uniqueness of Lewis as a whole is accompanied by a considerable degree of heterogeneity within the island itself, especially in the ABO and Rh systems. Stornoway, with a greater proportion of residents descended from immigrant stock, shows a greater degree of similarity with neighbouring populations. The reasons for both the overall uniqueness and the heterogeneity within Lewis are discussed, but in the absence of a large time-depth and adequate vital records, the various roles of selection, drift and migration in producing them are difficult to establish.

The blood groups and other heriditary blood factors of Yemenite and Kurdish Jews

Blood specimens collected fro Yemenite and Kurdish Jews living in Israel were tested for 11 blood group systems 5 plasma protein systems and 9 systems of red-cell enzymes. The results of these tests were combined with those of tests on other Yemenite and Kurdish Jews, reported by Godber et al. (1973), the total data sorted according to the place of origin of the subjects or their parents in the Yemen Arab Republic and Kurdistan respectively. Gene frequencies were calculated for each of the local populations so defined. It is confirmed that the Yemenite Jews show a close relationship to the Yemenite Arabs, but those from the southern part of the Yemen Arab Republic have a higher frequency of African marker genes than those in the north. The Habbanite Jews have a similar rather high frequency of African genes (Bonné et al., 1970). The Kurdish Jews from Iran and northern-western Iraq show a moderate genetic resemblance to the indigenous Kurds of Iran, while those from south-eastern Iraq differ considerably, especially in their low frequency of A1, high B, high CDe (R1) and low cde (r).

Red cell antigen, serum protein, and red cell enzyme polymorphisms in inhabitants of the Jimi Valley, Western Highlands, New Guinea

SummaryA series of blood samples from four villages in the Jimi Valley, Western New Guinea Highlands, has been tested for genetic variation in blood group, serum protein, and red cell enzyme systems. Polymorphic variation was present for the ABO, MNS, P, and Rh blood group systems, for the Hp and Tf serum protein systems, and for the acid phosphatase, 6-PGD, PGM, MDH, and ADA enzyme systems. One each of the following variants was detected: Ge(a-), G6PD deficient, AK2-1 and PHI 7-1 or 8-1. All samples tested were Cw-, K-, Kp(a-), Wr(a-), Fy)a+b-), Rd-, and LDH normal.Genetic distance analysis places the Jimi Valley populations closer to peoples of the Chimbu-Chuave and Wahgi-Hagen areas than to the Maring people of the Simbai Valley to the north.