HEMOPEXIN - A UNIQUE GENETIC-POLYMORPHISM IN POPULATIONS OF AFRICAN ANCESTRY

Using isoelectric focusing and immunoblotting techniques, we have scre ened 937 plasma or serum samples from Nigerian blacks (N = 380), Papua New Guineans (N = 110), Aleuts (N = 62), Mayans (N = 139), Dogrib Ind ians (N = 45), and Eskimos from Kodiak and St. Lawrence islands (N = 2 01) for the hemopexin (HPX) polymorphism. We compared these data with our previously published data for US whites (N = 267) and US blacks (N = 194). Except for Nigerian blacks and US blacks, HPX was found to be monomorphic for the common HPX1 allele in all populations tested. In addition to the commonly occurring HPX1 allele, two other less commo n alleles, HPX2 and HPX*3, were observed with respective frequencies of 1.8% and 4.6% in US blacks and 1.7% and 9.0% in Nigerian blacks. Th ese data strongly suggest that the HPX2 and HPX*3 alleles are unique alleles restricted to the black gene pool and are of potential signifi cance in microevolutionary studies and in defining African admixture i n hybrid populations. In addition to their importance in anthropogenet ic studies, these unique HPX mutations also have potential biological significance in hemolytic disorders.