ALCOHOL-DEHYDROGENASE POLYMORPHISMS IN NATIVE-AMERICANS - IDENTIFICATION OF THE ADH2-ASTERISK-3 ALLELE

Alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) polymorphisms were evaluated among 95 Nati ve American Mission indians. Approximately equal frequencies of ADH31 and ADH32 alleles were found. Twelve individuals were heterozygous f or ADH23, an allele previously identified only in persons of African origin. None of the individuals with ADX23 alleles was of purely Nati ve American descent, although none had known African ancestry. These r esults suggest that these candidate genes deserve broader study among Native Americans and may provide increased understanding of the likely polygenic contributions to alcohol-related disorders in this populati on.