The genetic polymorphism of red cell delta aminolevulinate dehydrase (ALADH) has been investigated in several population groups in Israel: Ashkenazi Jews, non-Ashkenazi Jews from North Africa, Egypt, Turkey, Iraq, Iran, Yemen and the Balkans, and Arabs. The distribution of the ALADH genes was not homogeneous (χ2 = 36.83; d.f. = 8; p < 0.0005). A significantly higher frequency of the ALADH2 gene was observed among the Ashkenazi Jews (0.2021) than among the non-Ashkenazi Jews and Arabs (gene frequencies 0.0825–0.1290) or all the other population samples so far studied (Liberia, Japan, Italy, Germany and Spain).
The genetic polymorphism of red blood cell glyoxalase I (GLO) has been investigated in 9 population groups in Israel: Ashkenazi Jews, non-Ashkenazi Jews from Iran, Iraq, Balkan, North Africa, Yemen, Turkey and Egypt as well as Arabs living in Israel. The distribution of GLO1 and GLO2 genes in the 9 communities was not homogeneous (x2 = 14.48; d. f. = 8; p < 0.0005). Jews from Iran were found to have the lowest GLO1 frequency (0.2294), while those from Egypt had the highest gene frequency (0.3968). The other investigated communities were shown to have intermediate values for this gene frequency. No significant difference has been found between Ashkenazi and non-Ashkenazi Jews (with the exception of those from Egypt) or Arabs living in Israel.
The genetic polymorphism of red blood cells esterase D (EsD) has been investigated in 9 population groups in Israel: Ashkenazi Jews, non-Ashkenazi Jews from North Africa, Iran, Turkey, Egypt, Balkan, Iraq, Yemen as well as Arabs living in Israel. The distribution of EsD1and EsD2genes among the 9 communities was not homogenous (χ2= 42.3; d.f. = 8; p < 0.0005). The Ashkenazi and North African Jews had significantly lower frequencies of EsD2(0.100 and 0.102 respectively) than did Yemenite Jews and Arabs (0.212 and 0.206 respectively). The other communities investigated showed intermediate values. A Jewish family from Greece carrying the rare allele EsD3 has been detected.
The genetic polymorphism of phosphoglycolate phosphatase (PGP) found in red blood cells has been investigated in several population groups in Israel: Ashkenazi Jews, non-Ashkenazi Jews from Iraq, Yemen, Turkey, Iran, Balkan, North Africa and Arabs. The distribution of the PGP genes was not homogeneous (χ2 = 40.545; d.f.= 20; p < 0.005). The PGP2 gene frequency varied between 0.0185 in the Yemenite and 0.0688 in the Iranian Jews. PGP3 gene frequency ranged between 0.0062 in the Iranian and 0.0547 in the Moroccan Jews. Despite this heterogeneity all the Israeli population groups showed some unifying characteristics which differentiated them from a random European population sample, namely higher frequencies of PGP1 gene (92–97% as opposed to 82% in the European sample) and lower frequencies of PGP2 gene (1.8–6.8% compared to 12.9% among Europeans).
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