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One hundred eighty-two Balinese were typed for HLA-A and -B locus antigens. From these, 103 were also typed for HLA -C, 51 for HLA-DR, 172 for Bf and 173 for GLO. These results and the significant phenotypic associations are situated with respect to other South-East Asian populations. In addition to this first study, 175 individuals from an isolated Balinese village typed for HLA-A, -B, -DR, Bf and GLO are presented, The effect of isolation on haplotype (HLA-A/-B/Bf/-DR) variability is discussed.

Red cell samples from persons belonging to four Amerindian linguistic groups in Colombia were investigated for genetic variants in eight blood group systems: for three of the groups investigations were extended to ten red cell enzyme and four serum protein systems. The groups studied are the Noanama (including six Empera) of the Rio Siquirisua and Rio Docampado on the Pacific lowlands and the Cofan, Ingano and Siona Indians of the Upper Rio Putumayo and its tributaries to the east of the Andes. Only blood group O was present among two of the groups and the same groups were 100% Kp(b +), k in the Kell system. Di(a +) frequencies were high in three groups and there was marked variation between groups for the MNS, Rh, P, Lewis and Duffy systems. Polymorphism in all the three linguistic groups studied for serum proteins and red cell enzymes was present only in the red cell acid phosphatase, phosphoglucomutase (locus-1) and haptoglobin systems. 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase was polymorphic in the Noanama, and caeruloplasmin was polymorphic in the Ingano linguistic group. In addition two persons belonging to the Cofan linguistic group revealed the presence of an “atypical” component in the lactate dehydrogenase system. No variation was found in the other six red cell enzyme and two serum protein systems. Comparison with published data on red cell enzyme and serum protein groups for other South American Amerindian populations shows the Colombian populations studied here most closely resemble the Cayapo of Brazil.

As part of a multidisciplinary survey of populations in the Banks and Torres Islands of Vanuatu and the Southern and Central Districts of the Solomon Islands, nearly 2,400 persons have been tested for ABO blood groups and a number of serum protein and red cell enzyme genetic marker systems. For the ABO system, the populations are characterized in general by high gene O and low gene B frequencies except in two of the Polynesian Outlier Islands, Rennell and Bellona, which have high frequencies of B. Among the serum proteins, several alleles have distributions indicating significant movement of people between islands. These include AlbuminNew Guinea and the transferrin alleles Tf, and Tf, and Tf. Similar specific alleles for red cell enzymes also show distributions reflecting interisland population movement as well as contact with persons from outside the southern Pacific region. Examples are ACP in the acid phosphatase system, PGM and PGM, PGM and PGM, PGK4 and also HbJTongariki. The data available for 11 polymorphic systems were used to generate genetic distances. Of the four Polynesian Outlier Islands, Anuta is most remote genetically, with Rennell and Bellona also relatively isolated. The fourth Polynesian Outlier, Tikopia, occupies a position genetically close to the Melanesian populations of the Banks and Torres Islands and the southern Solomons. The history of early European contact and voyaging in the Pacific, as well as archaeological and linguistic evidence and local legends, indicate that significant movements of people occurred between islands and provided opportunities for genes to be introduced from Europeans, Africans, and Asians. The genetic marker studies give evidence for genes from all these sources, though at a low level. Despite this admixture, the Polynesian Outlier and Melanesian populations have preserved their own distinctive genetic patterns.

101 Samoans living in New Zealand, of whom 77 had no known non-Samoan ancestry, have been typed for nine blood group systems, four serum protein and 23 red cell enzyme systems, for haemoglobin variants and antigens at the HLA A nad B loci. The frequencies of genes in these various systems suggest that Samoans fall partly into an island Melanesian-Micronesian pattern, and partly are unique. Their uniqueness is most distinctive for the HLA system.

The number of "private" electrophoretic variants of enzymes controlled by 25 loci has been used to obtain estimates of mutation rate in Australian Aborigines. Three different methods yield values of 6.11 X 10(-6), 2.78 X 10(-6), and 12.86 X 10(-6)/locus per generation for the total sample of Aborigines. One tribal population of Waljbiri in central Australia gives values of 2.99 X 10(-6) and 2.04 X 10(-6) for two of the methods, the third being unapplicable. The mean mutation rate for the total Aboriginal sample of 7.25 X 10(-6) is very similar to the value obtained by Neel and his colleagues for Amerindians in South America.

Data for the distribution of alleles controlling two blood group systems and secretor status, for hemoglobin types, five serum protein groups and 15 red cell enzyme systems has been obtained. Eleven of the systems showed polymorphic variation and these systems have been used to calculate genetic distances using Morton's Kinship measure. No systematic relationship between genetic distance and geographic location of linguistic affiliation is apparent. There is, however, an apparent cline of decreasing frequency of PGDc from east to west and also significant differences in the frequency of G6PD deficiency corresponding to variation in the ecology of the region. Genetic distance comparisons with other selected populations reveal that the Turkic and Turkoman speaking peoples in the Caspian area cluster with the Kurds, Greeks and Iranis. The Persian speakers are genetically remote from these populations; they are, however, close to the Parsis who migrated from Iran to India at the end of the Seventh Century A.D. Several unusual genetic variants were detected, including a novel MDH pheno-type, a superoxide dismutase phenotype identical with the Scandinavian type, and rare forms of LDH, PGM locus 2, ceruloplasmin, diaphorase, peptidases and PHI.

316 adults and children from an isolated community of Bali, Indonesia, have been tested for 18 red cell enzyme systems controlled by 24 loci, and haemoglobin. 13 loci were invariant. The other 11 loci showed variations similar to those found previously in Southeast Asian populations. Of special interest is the occurrence of lactate dehydrogenase Calcutta-1 variants, indicating Indian gene admixture, and PGM92, indicating a Melanesian genetic component. A few individuals were CA1 1-3Bali and this is possibly the same as other CA1 1-3 types found in the Philippines and Guam. Nearly 10% were glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficient and 2% carried Hb E. A fast electrophoretic variant of G6PD was detected in 5 persons. Two sub-groups of the population were studied. Gene frequencies in the Isolate supported the view that inbreeding and genetic drift have made this sub-group genetically distinct from the non-inbred part of the population.

A total of more than 800 placentae from six different population groups have been examined for electrophoretic variation in 13 enzyme systems. Whilst, in many instances, the phenotype designation is presumptive, having been arrived at after critical visual comparison with illustrations in the literature, a number of new alleles have been reported here and further population genetic data have been presented. Two new alleles, MPI3 and MPI4 are described in the mannose phosphate isomerase system the former in both the Port Moresby sample and in the Chinese, whilst the latter was restricted to the Chinese samples. Also, the New Guinea MDHs 3-1 phenotype has been detected for the first time in placentae. In addition, a new allele in the aconitase system, ACONs8 has been described in the Chinese samples.

A sample of 105 coastal people and 82 mountain dwellers from Goodenough Island, off the eastern tip of Papua New Guinea have been tested for four blood group systems, haemoglobin, 17 enzyme systems and four serum proteins. Transferrins D1 and Blae were found in both populations and the frequency of almost 29% for PGDc in the mountain people is one of the highest for the region. Deficiency of G-6 PD and the presence of PGK4 were detected only in the coastal populations.

320 adults and children of an isolated community of Bali, Indonesia, have been tested for blood groups ABO, Rh, MNS, P, Lewis, Duffy, Kell, for haptoglobin and transferrin and for hepatitis B surface antigen and antibodies. Phenotype distribution and gene frequencies are given for the total population tested and for two subgroups representative of the inbred population of the isolate and of the non-inbred part of the population. Significant differences between the two subgroups show a clear genetic drift in the inbred population. The study brings biological support to the ethnological hypothesis of population migrations in this area. Tests for hepatitis B surface antigen reveal a lower prevalence of the disease than in most other south-east Asian populations.

Frequency distributions were determined for 24 red cell enzyme and four serum protein systems, in an attempt to identify a genetic marker associated with either amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) or parkinsonism-dementia (PD), two progressive and fatal neurological disorders of unknown cause found with unusually high incidence among the Chamorros of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands. No striking associations were identified between either disorder and any of the gene markers tested. Thus, no genetic cause is known for either disease; local environmental factors are most likely involved in pathogenesis.

GENETIC VARIATION AT THE THIRD LOCUS OF PHOSPHOGLUCOMUTASE IN PLACENTAS FROM AUSTRALIA AND PAPUA NEW GUINEA

Blood samples from 45 Usiai and 138 Manus people on the Island of Manus, New Guinea, have been tested for the ABO, MN, Ss, Rh, P, Duffy, Kell and Gerbich blood-group systems, the haptoglobin, transfer

SUMMARY More than 4000 blood samples from populations in Japan, Micronesia, Singapore, West Irian, New Guinea and Australia have ben typed for phosphoglycerate kinase (PGK) and phosphohexose isomerase (PHI) Normal PGK-1 patterns were observed in all populations except in Micronesia, parts of West Irian and the Western and Eastern Highlands of New Guinea. In Micronesia both PGK-2 and PGK2-1 patterns were observed and the gene frequency of pgk2 was 0.07. In West Irian and the Highlands of New Guinea PGK-4 and PGK 4-1 patterns were observed and the highest pgk4 frequency was 0.051 among males in the Western Highlands. Only nine individuals were detected with PHI variant patterns. One PHI 2-1 was found in a Chinese and two PHI 3-1 persons were observed among Malays in Singapore, four PHI 5-1 in the Western Highlands of New Guinesa and one PHI 5-1 in a Japanese: one PHI 4-1 was found among Aborigines in Northern Australia.