No abstract

Until recently, no data on genetic polymorphisms in the populations living on the northern side of the Pyrenees have been available, except for the Basques. Several investigations were done lately on rural communities in various geographic zones in the Pyrenees from the eastern to the western part. In this paper, the results for the following enzyme polymorphisms are reported: acid phosphatases, AK, ADA, PGM_t and PGM₂, 6PGD, NADH diaphorase, SOD, MDH, TGP, G6PD, C₅ esterase (E₂ locus), serum cholin-esterase (E₂ locus). Significant variation in gene frequencies was observed over the distinct geographic zones for the main polymorphic system. Furthermore, some rare alleles were found: a new G6PD variant (Luz-Saint-Sauveur), the presence of ADA³ and ADA⁵ alleles in two groups of the Central Pyrenees, a Dia² gene among Basques and in the Pays de Sault, a high rate of E^a₁ allele in the Basque group. The values obtained for the degree of heterozygosity are in agreement with the relative isolation of the different groups studied and confirm the importance of sociocultural factors in the evolution of the genetic background of rural communities in Europe.

The genetic polymorphism of two new erythrocyte markers GLO I (EC 4.4.1.5) and esterase D (EC 3.1.1.1) has been investigated in four French populations: Basques and Toulouse groups (southwest area), Lille and Strasbourg (northern and eastern part of the territory). The distribution of GLO I and EsD alleles within these communities has shown some significant differences. Basques samples are characterized by the highest frequency of EsD¹ gene (0.911) and the lower rate of GLO¹(0.364). The observed data are compared with other results previously reported in France and in Western European populations.