Hybrid proteins, heterosis and the origin of species--I. Unusual variation of polychaete Hyalinoecia "nothing dehydrogenases" and of quail Coturnix erythrocyte enzymes

Genetic variation of pancreatic esterase isozyme in Japanese quail

A genetic variation was found in pancreatic esterases of Japanese quail which appeared to be arylesterase. It was found on the cathode side in the agar gel electrophoresis. Three phenotypes, A,B and AB, were observed. These phenotypes were shown to be controlled by one autosomal locus, designated as Es-4, with co-dominant alleles Es-4A and Es-4B. Es-4 esterase isozymes were detected in all the individuals from about 4 days of age, but the activity was very weak. However, it gradually increased to reach a level almost the same as that of a mature quail from about 15 days of age.

Genetical control of phosphoglucose isomerase isozymes in the Japanese quail erythrocytes

Three phenotypes of phosphoglucose isomerase (PGI) from the Japanese quail erythrocytes were observed by horizontal starch gel electrophoresis. Population and family data from one laboratory population of quail was consistent with the theory that PGI polymorphism was controlled by two codominant, autosomal alleles designated PGIF and PGIS with gene frequency values 0.25 and 0.75, respectively. The study supported the earlier view that the Japanese quail is highly polymorphic with regard to biochemical variation.

Protein polymorphism in two populations of the wild quail Coturnix coturnix japonica

To evaluate genetic variability in two populations of the wild quail Coturnix coturnix japonica, proteins and enzymes were examined by starch gel electrophoresis. Rare variants so far not observed in domestic quail were found in the following five enzymes; aspartate aminotransferase, acid phosphatase, pancreatic esterase, isocitrate dehydrogenase and lactate dehydrogenase. The proportion of polymorphic loci (P poly) and the expected average heterozygosity (H) in one of the two populations were estimated to be 0.484 (15/31) and 0.085, respectively. Those in another population were 0.433 (13/30) and 0.086, respectively. The genetic distance (Nei, 1975) between the two wild quail populations was D = 0.0074. D values of 0.0321 and 0.0189 were estimated between the laboratory quail population previously examined (Kimura et al., 1982) and each of these two wild populations.

Electrophoretic comparisons of liver chromatin proteins isolated from heterotic rats during postweaning development

Electrophoretic comparisons of histones and other acid-extractable chromatin proteins isolated from the livers of growing F344 inbred rats and a heterotic paternal hybrid derived by crossing F344 males with Holtzman females reveal significant heterogeneity among a class of nonhistone components soluble in acid. These variations appear to be age and line specific and show more variation in the inbred than the hybrid. Comparisons of the acid-insoluble nonhistone proteins by sodium dodecylsulfate gel electrophoresis reveal significant quantitative changes in a 28,600 dalton polypeptide present in large quantities at 30, 35, and 50 days of age in the hybrid and at 40 and 45 days only in the inbred. Other minor variations were noted in a class of proteins of 40,000--45,000 molecular weight and in those of very high molecular weight (100,000-200,000). Such variations could be a reflection of or prelude to changes in genetic activity and could ultimately be important in the control of growth patterns of developing heterotic animals.

Autosomal inheritance of phosphoglycerate kinase in the domestic chicken (Gallus domesticus)

Electrophoretic variants of the glycolytic enzyme phosphoglycerate kinase (PGK) in the domestic chicken, Gallus domesticus, were found to be inherited in an autosomal manner. No sperm-specific isozyme of PGK exists in the chicken. This is in direct contrast to previous results from therian (placental and marsupial) mammals in which there are two isozymes of PGK, an autosomal form largely or wholly confined to sperm and a sex-linked form found in most other tissues. The implications of these and other results for the question of homology between the avian Z chromosome and the mammalian X chromosome are discussed. It is concluded that there is no evidence of homology between the X chromosome and the Z chromosome.

[Biochemical polymorphism in the red partridge (Alectoris rufa)]

Egg white proteins, hemoglobin, serum proteins and enzymes from Alectoris rufa have been examined by starch gel electrophoresis. All three genetic parameters, mean proportion of loci polymorphic per population (P), mean numbers of alleles per locus (A), and mean proportion of loci heterozygous per individual (H) are given for Alectoris rufa, and comparison were made between the proteins of the related species Coturnix coturnix japonica.

[Polymorphism of proteins in 3 strains of domestic quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica)]

In three breeds of domestic quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica) with different zootechnical characteristics, heterozygote frequencies of egg white and serum proteins are variable. Data are briefly explained by the genetic homeostasis theory.

[Biochemical polymorphism of Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica): comparison of functionally different proteins (author's transl)]

The polymorphism observed among the enzymes involved in the respiratory metabolism (lactate dehydrogenase, malate dehydrogenase, phosphoglucomutase, phosphohexoseisomerase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase fructose 1-6 diphosphate dehydrogenase) is less important than that of the enzymes physiologically less essential, such as the various esterases, the alkaline phosphatase, the alcohol dehydrogenase, and of the non-enzymatic proteins (ovalbumin, ovoglobulins, ovomucoid, conalbumin, transferrin, etc.).