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The reliability of TF and LAP electromorphs as genetic markers in Microtus ochrogaster was examined by taking 18 voles captured in the wild during the summer and subjecting them to winter conditions for one month. During this time voles were bled each week and their plasma scored for TF and LAP phenotypes using starch gel electrophoresis. There were no changes in the mobility of the TF and LAP electromorphs in the same animal when fresh samples were used for electrophoresis. However, there were a few inconsistencies in scoring phenotypes when plasma was frozen for 10 weeks or longer. Reasons for the contradictory results obtained by McGovern and Tracy (1981) in the same species is discussed.

An Entamoeba histolytica strain (BF-841 cl1) that originated from Burkina Faso, Africa presented with novel, polymorphic genotypes of the serine-rich E. histolytica protein and the anodic hexokinase-2 (HXK-2) isoenzyme band, which showed less electrophoretic mobility than that of an E. histolytica reference strain [HM-1:IMSS cl6 (zymodeme (Z)-II)] by starch gel electrophoresis and isoelectric focusing (IEF). The HXK-2 gene of BF-841 cl1 had amino acid variations at four positions compared to the sequence of HM-1: IMSS cl6. These variations were absent from the sequences of four other E. histolytica strains with different zymodemes [KU27 (Z-II), SAW1627 (Z-IIα-), SAW755CR clB (Z-XIV), and KU2 (Z-XIX)]. The results of IEF showed no difference in the substrate specificity of HXK (HXK-1 and HXK-2) between BF-841 cl1 and the three reference E. histolytica strains (HM-1:IMSS cl6, SAW755 clB, and KU27). It was also confirmed that BF-841 cl1 was able to form liver abscesses in Syrian hamsters.

An attempt was made to follow post mortem changes of human serum esterases. Disappearance of fractions and formation of new ones was demonstrated, using starch gel electrophoresis. It is concluded that proteolytic enzymes may be the cause of these changes.

Twenty five specimens of the brown hare and fourteen specimens of the wild rabbit were examined for genetic differentiation and polymorphism in 28 enzyme systems by means of horizontal starch gel electrophoresis and isoelectric focusing in polyacrylamide gels. Indices of genetic variation show values similar to those averaged over numerous mammalian species. A D-value of 0, 0288 between wild and domestic rabbits suggests a high amount of gene frequency changes at enzyme loci during domestication. Evolutionary time of divergence between the rabbit and the hare (about 2430000 years) calculated from electrophoretic data is in good agreement with palaeontological findings.

Summary The detection of the recessive null allele of horse serum esterase (Es) is possible in heterozygotes Es +/EsO which by starch gel electrophoresis appear like homo-zygotes Es +/Es +. Two methods are proposed, the titration of enzymatic activity of esterase and the immunochemical titration of esterase as antigen. These methods can be applied to solve the cases of suspect parentage or in population studies.

Summary Polymorphism of phosphoglucomutase (PGM) in horse erythrocytes was studied by means of starch gel electrophoresis. Three different phenotypes, F, FS and S, were found. Family data supported the genetic theory of two autosomal, codominant alleles PGMF and PGMS controlling the variation. The gene frequencies were estimated to 0.28 and 0.72, respectively, in the North-Swedish Horse breed and to 0.13 and 0.87, respectively, in the Swedish Trotter Breed. The probabilities of excluding a falsely assigned stallion in the PGM system were calculated to 0.16 and 0.10, respectively, in the two breeds.

Summary The purine nucleoside phosphorylase (NP) activity of sheep red cells was determined by starch gel electrophoresis and by a spectrophotometric assay technique. Some sheep had high activity (NP-high type) and some had low or zero activity (NP-low type). The enzyme deficiency is apparently confined to the red cell since other tissues from NP-low type animals had activities similar to those from NP-high type individuals. Family data indicated that NP activity is controlled by a pair of autosomal allelic genes, designated NPH and NPL. Sheep heterozygous for the NP genes had lower enzymic activities than homozygous high-type individuals. The frequency of NP types in different breeds of sheep was determined. Barbary and Mouflon sheep had activities similar to NP-high type domestic sheep; goats had high enzyme activities but their NP had a slower electrophoretic mobility than that of sheep.

Rabbit transferrin (Tf) was studied electrophoretically using 1141 blood samples from individuals belonging to seven populations (Spanish Common, Spanish Giant, Butterfly, Lyoné de Bourgogne, New Zealand White, Californian and New Zealand White X Californian hybrids). No Tf polymorphism was found by starch gel electrophoresis, but six patterns, differing in the presence and/or intensity of three bands ('a', anodic; 'b', intermediate; and 'c', cathodic) were observed by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. No genetic model could explain these patterns, since they reflect differences in plasma Tf iron content. The electrophoretic test allowed a direct observation of the relative in vivo levels of the different Tf molecular species; saturated (band 'a', Fe2Tf); semi-saturated (band 'b', Fe1Tf); and without iron (band 'c' Fe0Tf, apotransferrin). The degree of iron saturation of Tf varied among individuals and throughout the individual's life. Specifically, in pregnant females, Fe2Tf and Fe1Tf are generally observed, except in late pregnancy (from day 25 to parturition), when mainly apotransferrin is observed. Significantly, within 24 h post-partum, high levels of Fe2Tf are reached in the female's serum.

Summary Homozygous transferrins of adult cattle are made up of two strong pairs and one weak pair of protein bands on starch gel electrophoresis. Foetal transferrins have only the slower band of each pair with the fastest band of the three being much stronger than in the adult type. Before term the second band of each pair begins to develop and at the same time the fastest pair becomes weaker – attaining the adult type by term or soon after. The ai protein, which is present in early foetal life and almost disappears by 250 days of embryonic development, shows individual variation. Its relationship to fetuin is discussed.

Summary Using starch gel electrophoresis, polymorphism of phosphohexose isomerase (PHI) was found in haemolysed swine erythrocytes. Three different phenotypes A, AB and B were observed. They are determined by two autosomal codominant alleles A and B. Homozygous types have three fractions; a strong middle band flanked by two weaker ones. The heterozygous types have five fractions, three strong bands in the middle with weaker anodic and catodic bands. Segregation data in the family material support this hypothesis. The age does not influence the pattern of the PHI types.

Summary The polymorphism of bovine serum amylase, which is controlled by the Ami locus, has previously only been demonstrated by starch gel electrophoresis. The addition of maltose to starch gels has been demonstrated to inhibit any subsequent separation of the Ami isozymes by starch gel electrophoresis. When electrophoresis was conducted in a support medium in the absence of starch no polymorphic variation was detected amongst samples from animals of different Ami phenotypes. The addition of starch to agarose gels has been shown to facilitate the subsequent detection of the Ami polymorphism by agarose/starch gel electrophoresis. The electrophoretic resolution of the Ami isozymes has been demonstrated to depend upon differences in affinity for starch rather than differences in net charge. The starch gel electrophoretic separation of the Ami isozymes is. therefore, another example of affinity electrophoresis. All the Ami amylases have been shown to share a common isoelectric point of pH 3.5.

In German Simmental cattle a new kappa-casein variant was detected by isoelectric focusing, which cannot be distinguished from kappa-casein A by polyacrylamide and starch gel electrophoresis. It was named kappa-casein D. The frequencies of kappa-casein alleles were kappa-Cn A 0.75, kappa-Cn B 0.24, kappa-Cn D 0.01.

Summary Haemoglobin polymorphism in Brahman cattle and seven Southern African cattle breeds was investigated by means of starch gel electrophoresis. A difference was found between the migration rates of the Hb C of Brahman cattle and that of the indigenous Southern African cattle breeds, showing that these are actually two separate variants. We suggest that the faster migrating type, which occurs in Brahman cattle, should be called Hb C, while the slower migrating type of the Southern African breeds, should be called Hb I. A comparison of the migration of the α and β chains of all the variants we encountered, including foetal haemoglobin, was carried out by means of starch gel electrophoresis in urea at acid and alkaline pH levels. Evidence was found of a difference in mobility of the non-a chains of haemoglobin A, B, C, I and F at different pH levels while no difference was detected in the migration rate of their respective α chains. These results confirm the theory that genetic variation is restricted to the non-α chain of bovine haemoglobin. Progeny studies on 225 families confirm that the Hb I variant is allelic to Hb A and Hb B variants. The gene frequencies have been calculated on the basis that Hb I and Hb C are allelic at the β locus. The distribution of the different phenotypes is in accordance with this theory, assuming that the populations obey Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium.

Summary Six regions of esterase activity designated I to VI were resolved from liver extracts of chickens by horizontal starch gel electrophoresis. These esterases were further characterized on the basis of their substrate affinities and differential responses to various inhibitors. Genetic variation was found in esterases of region VI which appeared to be ali-esterase. Four phenotypes, A, B, AB and O, were observed. These phenotypes were shown to be controlled by one autosomal locus, designated Es-3, with alleles Es-3A, Es-3B and Es-3O. This locus is not closely linked to the blood group loci A and B, serum alkaline phosphatase (Ap), liver acid phosphatase (Acp-2) and serum esterase (Es-1) loci.

Summary Three different phenotypes of a weakly staining prealbumin migrating near the borate line during starch gel electrophoresis were found in chicken sera and egg yolks. It is shown that the synthesis of these phenotypes is determined by one autosomal locus with two alleles, PaA and PaB. The paper also presents the results of partial isolation of polymorphic prealbumins from cock sera. Rivanol®– ammonium sulphate precipitation and chromatography on Sephadex G-200® were used for this purpose.

Summary The frequency of polymorphic phenotypes determined by starch gel electrophoresis from six enzyme systems was investigated on 664 rainbow trout (stock I) originating equally from six full-sib families. The enzyme systems studied were CA, AKP, G-6-PD, SOD, AEP, and 6-PGD. On material deriving from six parental matings totalling 212 offspring (stock II) the mode of inheritance of the first four enzymes (AEP and 6-PGD were not polymorphic) and the additional systems IDH, PGM, Alb, and Psta, not analysed in stock I, were investigated. The G-6-PD system showed no polymorphism in the family material. The CA, PGM, Alb, and Psta systems were easily identifiable. Their mode of inheritance with two alleles each can be considered as proven. For SOD three alleles, in four out of six possible progeny types, were found, for which the postulated mode of inheritance was confirmed. For IDH the mode of inheritance found by Allendorff & Utter (1973) was confirmed. This pattern shows two disomic gene loci, one of which is monomorphic, while the other carries four different alleles. The number of alleles and their mode of inheritance for the AEP system, which was not clearly identifiable, could not be elucidated.

Summary The erythrocyte esterase-D (Es-D) of four European-American pig breeds, two Taiwan native pigs (Taoyuan and Short ear breeds), Philippine native pig and wild boar populations (Sus scrofa riukiuanus) in Japan was investigated by using starch gel electrophoresis. Analysis of parentage records of the pigs revealed that the phenotypic variation of erythrocyte esterase-D was controlled by two codomi-nant alleles Es-DA and Es-DB. The allele Es-Db was mostly found in three European -American pig breeds, Landrace (0.100), Hampshire (0.135) and Duroc (0.102). All of the wild boar populations were monomorphic for allele Es-DA.

Summary Starch gel electrophoresis according to Gahne (1966) reveals three new phenotypes designated FI, I and IS in horse serum albumin. Family material comprising 97 sire families with a total number of 2742 foals and their dams and population material comprising 2867 adult horses representative of the Swedish Trotter breed were examined. The results were consistent with a genetic theory of three codominant, autosomal alleles F, I and S controlling the six albumin phenotypes observed. The gene frequencies were estimated to be 0.489, 0.049 and 0.462, respectively, for the F, I and S genes in the Swedish Trotter breed. The risk of making false exclusions in paternity controls in the albumin system, if the I allele is not considered, is discussed.

Summary. Variants of serum transferrin in Japanese wild pig, Sus scrofa leucomystax, and Ryukyu wild pig, S.s. riukiuanus, of Japan were investigated by using starch gel electrophoresis. Five phenotypes, TfB, BC, C, CX and X, were observed, of which two, TfCX and X, are new variants. Comparison of gene frequency estimates which were calculated for each population showed remarkable geographic differences among several populations of these two subspecies.

Summary Three NADH diaphorase phenotypes were observed in the red cells of sheep. Breeding data indicated that this polymorphism was under the control of two autosomal co-dominant alleles, designated DiaF and Dias. Phenotype Dia F had significantly lower NADH diaphorase activity than phenotype Dia S. The frzquency of DiaF and DiaS was determined in 9 different breeds.

Summary Transferrin phenotypes were determined in six breeds of sheep by starch gel electrophoresis. Two new variants, Tf HCzech and Tf KCzech, were found and some evidence of their genetic control was obtained. Tf HCzeeh was detected only in Sumava sheep; it has an intermediate mobility between Tf A and Tf B. Tf KCzech was found only in Tsigais; it was localized between Tf B and Tf C. The frequencies of corresponding alleles were very low. Individual transferrin variants (I, A, HCzech, B, Kczech, C, D, E, and P) were treated with neuraminidase. Electrophoretic mobility of the strong band was decreased by two steps in each case. It suggests that in the strong Tf band two sialic acid residues are accessible to the enzyme.

Summary By means of starch gel electrophoresis the polymorphism of the phospoglucomutase isozymes PGMi has been investigated in cattle leucocytes. The phenotypes and allele frequencies of PGMi are demonstrated in a series of 106 complete and 221 incomplete families of ‘Deutsche Schwarzbunte’. The segregation of the 327 daughters' phenotypes agree with the formal genetic model of 2 codominant autosomal alleles. The observed heterozygous PGMi type is more frequent in mating types and progenies as expected under equilibrium.

Summary Genetic polymorphism of glucose phosphate isomerase (GPI) was found in the erythrocytes of dogs of six Japanese breeds by using starch gel electrophoresis. Analysis of parentage records of dogs revealed that the phenotypic variation of erythrocyte glucose phosphate isomerase was controlled by one autosomal locus with two codominant alleles, GPIAand GPIB. The allele GPIBwas observed in the following breeds: San'in-Shiba, Shinshu-Shiba, Shikoku, Kai and Kishu, but not in Hokkaidoes and Akitas. All the dogs belonging to 25 European breeds, 5 oriental or China-origin (except Japan) breeds examined in this experiments had the genotype constitution GPIA/GPIA, whereas one Dalmation dog was heterozygous GPIA/GPIB.

Summary In starch gel electrophoresis of horse sera each transferrin variant is formed by a strong anodal band and a weaker cathodal band. An ‘atypical’ variant, Tf C, has two zones of about equal intensity. Family data show that Tf C is genetically controlled by an allele Tf C at the Tf locus. Frequencies of transferrin alleles in various horse breeds are also presented. After isolation and fractionation of individual transferrin variants (Tf O, Tf D, Tf C) on DEAE-Sephad Summary ex, additional weak bands were detected. The two main zones of each variant were isolated in a pure state and treated with neuraminidase. In all three variants studied the electrophoretic mobility of the slower band (2a) was decreased in two steps, and the faster band (4b) in four steps. The mobilities of bands derived from the fast zone (4b) were slower than mobilities of corresponding bands derived from the slow zone (2a). These results suggest the presence of two sialic acid residues in the slow zone, and of four residues in the fast zone. Residual heterogeneity was independent of sialic acid.

Summary Starch gel electrophoresis of 55 donkey serum samples revealed three prealbumin (Pr) phenotypes temporarily designated PrM, PrMT and PrT. The distribution was in agreement with a genetic theory of two codominant alleles of frequencies, PrM= 0.87 and PrT= 0.13. Variation was also observed for proteins migrating with the same rate as the Xh zones in the horse.

Summary In fresh red cell haemolysates from Labrador retriever dogs three acid phosphatase (Pac) phenotypes were found by starch gel electrophoresis. Family data were consistent with the theory that the Pac phenotypes are controlled by two codominant, autosomal alleles, designated PacF and PacS.

Summary Six phenotypes of aspartate aminotransferase (AAT) and three phenotypes of adductor muscle protein were found in extracts of the native oyster (Ostrea lurida) by starch gel electrophoresis. The AAT phenotypes were presumed to be genetic variants under the control of three allelic genes (A, B, C) and the muscle protein phenotypes under the control of a two-allele system (A and B).

Phosphoglucomutase isoenzymes of human and rat blood cells of various mean ages have been examined by starch gel electrophoresis and a specific staining technique. Among the enzyme components related to each genetic allele, there is a relative excess of the cathodal component in red cell population of low mean age and in white cells, whereas in red cell populations of normal mean age there is a relative decrease in the cathodal and an increase in the anodal components. The findings suggest that the cathodal component represents the protein determined by the gene and synthesized by the cells, and that the anodal components are formed from the cathodal one during ageing of the cells. The nature of the conversion is discussed.

Summary Cattle reagents were used to blood type 158 water buffalo originating from Central Romania. Out of 36 cattle blood group factors which could be identified with the available reagents only 13 were present in the buffalo. Three genotypes at the Tf locus in buffaloes were identified by starch gel electrophoresis: TfBB, Tf BC and TfCC. At the Hb locus, only one phenotype Hb A was identified in all samples showing two bands a fast and a slow one. These data indicate a certain homology between cattle and water buffalo.

This paper presents information on the biochemical properties (via starch gel electrophoresis) of 26 marine species (15 fish and 11 invertebrates). Evidence is presented on 48 polymorphisms found in the 26 species. Estimates of the proportion of the genome heterozygous per individual per species were calculated and ranged from 0.000 to 0.176 for the invertebrates and from 0.000 to 0.074 for the fish species. Estimates of the percentage of loci polymorphic per species for invertebrates were 0 to 54%; for the fish species, the range was 0 to 20%.