This study determined the frequencies of a G-to-A transition (S/N167) polym
orphism in exon 4 of the parkin gene in Australian Parkinson's disease pati
ents and control subjects. The genotype of each subject was determined usin
g the polymerase chain reaction and restriction-fragment-length-polymorphis
m analysis. Overall, the A allele was significantly less common in the Park
inson's disease group (1.7%) compared with the control group (3.8%, OR = 0.
43, 95% CI = 0.19-1.00, P < 0.05), although the frequency in the young onse
t Parkinson's disease group (6.6%) was not significantly different to contr
ols. The A allele is less common in Australian Caucasian subjects compared
to Japanese Parkinson's disease patients and appears to be under-represente
d in older-onset Parkinson's disease. <(c)> 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All
rights reserved.