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The electrophoretical polymorphisms of some blood proteins were studied in the Talysh population of Pirasora situated in South-East Azerbaidjan. We calculated the gene frequencies of these polymorphisms and determined the genetic distances between the Talyshes and some Iranian populations of North, Central and South Iran, Afghans, and three populations of Azerbaijan. The Talyshes are very close to Iranians of Shiraz, whereas they are distant from the Azerbaijanians. Anthropological investigations showed that the Caucasoids and Mongoloids lived in the Aragvi Basin since the Eneolithic period. This was stated by Alexeev (1974), who emphasized the mixture of the Caucasus populations from ancient times on. We calculated the genetic distances between the Caucasus populations and numerous populations of other geographic regions, considering 28 alleles of 12 loci of blood group, serum protein and red cell enzyme polymorphisms and constructed the dendrogram of these populations. The position of the Caucasus populations in the dendrogram corresponds on principle to the earlier anthropological observations. The clustering of the Caucasoid populations corresponds completely with anthropological and historical data, and supports our earlier hypothesis (Nazarova 1999) concerning the differentiation of Caucasoids, Northern Mongoloids and Amerinds from the populations, which inhabitated Asia in palaeolithic times.

Basing on the frequencies of 28 alleles of 12 polymorphic loci of blood groups, serum proteins and red cell enzymes the matrix of genetic distances between 11 populations of Europe, Asia and America was calculated. This matrix and the dendrogram based on it permitted to suggest that the region of South Siberia and the neighbouring regions of Central Asia was the place, where the paleolithic populations were divided into the ancestors of the Northern Mongoloids, Caucasoids and American Indians. The published data concerning the human mtDNA polymorphisms support the hypothesis of the author.

Anthropological investigations have shown that representatives of European and mongoloid races lived in the river basin of Aragvi from late Stone Age. These data confirm a viewpoint of academician V.P. Alekssev (1974) that population of the Caucasus was compound in race terms from the ancient times. Situation of the Caucasian peoples on the dendrogrammes built corresponds in general to the data of national anthropologists. Clusterization of other europeoid ethnic groups also corresponds in general to the anthropological and historical data and confirms hypothesis which we have set up earlier about differentiation of europeoids, north mongoloids and amerinds of the same population which lived in Asia in palaeolith.

The matrix of genetic distances of 11 human populations of Europe, Asia, and America was calculated using data on frequencies of 28 alleles of 12 loci of proteins, enzymes, and blood groups. This matrix and constructed on their basis dendrogram permit one to suggest that the place of division of paleolitic population on ancestors of North Mongoloids, Caucasoids, and Amerinds was in South Siberia and possibly in neighbouring regions of Central Asia. Published data on polymorphism of mtDNA in the human populations of Eurasia and America were analysed. These data support the author's hypothesis.

Genetic distances of 18 Finnish-Ugric and other populations of Europe, Asia and America by 28 alleles of 12 loci of proteins, enzymes and blood groups were calculated. The data of matrix of genetic distances and dendrogramme constructed by paired clusterisation method suggested that there was the relationship of Finnish-Ugric populations and some Caucasoids and North Mongoloid populations. These data give new approaches to the problem of Finnish-Ugric phylogenesis.

Distribution of the frequencies of alleles and genotypes of albumin, post-albumin, transferrin, post-transferrin and haemoglobin in 9 breeds of rabbits in Russia was analyzed. Genetic distances between these breeds were defined and the dendrograms of their phylogeny composed. The smallest distance was observed between the breeds white giant and gray giant. White giant, gray giant, california and soviet chinchilla breeds were in the first cluster of the dendrograms. The other breeds: butterfly, black-brown and black-fire constituted the second cluster. The gold and silver breeds composed the separate branches. The character of localization of the breeds on the dendrograms is in good agreement with the real interrelations of the rabbit breeds known from the history and genealogy of their formation.

The problem on screening of de novo mutations, arising in populations, by the method of search for rare protein variants has been critically discussed. The data on monomorphic loci and rare variants of human blood proteins, and platelet monoamine oxidase previously not studied in terms of populations are presented. A method is suggested to screen mutations, using restriction analysis of mitochondrial DNA in mouse populations.

The transfection efficiency of T4 phage DNA of Escherichia coli spheroplasts, carrying mutations in four genes, involved in recombination and reparation (recB, recA, exr, polA), is studied. RecB- and recA- mutations increased the phage yield during transfection, and exr- and polA- mutations decreased it. RecA- mutation is suggested to influence on spheroplasts membrane state, resulting in more efficient replication of transfecting phage DNA.

Biochemical markers of gene systems Alb, Tf, Gc, Hp, GLO1, PGM1, EsD, AcP were analysed in the native population of Evenc national region. It is shown that native population of Central Siberia, in spite of its mongoloid racial type, posseses the complex of gene frequencies for protein loci studied which is not typical for mongoloids. The complex may be called "central-siberian" and its origin may be connected with the process of adaptation to environment of the Central Siberian geographical region. The system of gene markers analysed may be considered as a sensitive one in the studies of processes of gene adaptation to the local environmental factors and, in this connection, being perspective in these studies among native population of Siberia.

Polymorphism for E2 locus of human serum cholinesterase was studied in populations of evenks and yakuts of Krasnoyarsky region by the method of starch gel electrophoresis. Thee frequencies of C5+ phenotype correspond to C5+ frequencies in other mongoloid populations of Siberia. The activity of cholinesterase was determined by semiquantitative technique. Three individuals with a sharply decreased cholinesterase activity have been revealed.

Carbonic anhydrase of human erythrocytes was separated by polyacrylamide electrophoresis into four fractions determined, obviously, by two loci, CAI and CAII. Investigation of Moscow population sample of 458 men (516 healthy and 42 with schizophrenia) showed monomorphism of carbonic anhydrase for these two loci. Carbonic anhydrase I and carbonic anhydrase II were differentiated with fluorogenic substrates. The polymorphic variant of CAII was discovered while studying the sample of Siberian mongoloids (Evenks and Jakuts) with frequency 0,047 and 0,045, respectively.

The Eskimos and Chuckchi of the Chuckotka Peninsula were studied at 13 loci of serum and erythrocyte proteins and enzymes by electrophoresis. Six loci-including albumin, transferrin, carbonic anhydrase I and II, monoamine oxidase, and superoxide dismutase-were monomorphic in the studied populations. The mean frequencies of alleles in nine polymorphic loci of Chuckotka Eskimos and Chuckchi, Eskimos of Alaska, Canada, and Greenland, some Mongoloid populations of Siberia, American Indians, and Lapps of circumpolar areas of Western Europe were obtained. The genetic distances between these populations were calculated. The Eskimos of Chuckotka were closest to the Alaskan Eskimos. The relative heterozygosity of Chuckotka Eskimos was calculated and was the highest in Chuckchi. The average heterozygosity in Eskimo populations increased in the following order, from least to greatest: Chuckotka Eskimos, St. Lawrence Island Eskimos, Alaskan Eskimos, Greenland Eskimos, and Canadian Eskimos. The average heterozygosity of the Chuckchi was similar to that of Western Hemisphere Eskimos.