17 Table 8 ABO, MN, Rh-Hr, and Duffy-Kell-Diego Frequency Among Marshallese and Polynesians ABO system Group MN system Genetrequency Type Gene frequency No =O A B AB p. qe re M MN N Marshallese (present study) 129° 38.1 186 15 8.2 0.789 0.116 0.095 6.2 13.5 Marshallese (Simmons*") 678 32.2 21.4 121.1 3.3 0.7293 0.135) O.134 (10) Polynesians (Simmons and Graydon*') . 138 39.1 60.9 0 0 0.626 0.374 0.10 19.6 Phenotype Rh-Hr m n 78.3 0.14 0,86 (19) (71) 0.22 0.78 47.8 32.6 0.435 0.565 Gene frequency Rh,Rh, Rhyrh Rh. Rh,Rh. R' 97.7 2,3 0 0 0.985 Marshallese (Simmons*") 90.6 0.7 0.3 8.0 Polynesians (Simmons and Graydon*') 19.6 0.7 29.7 50.0 R* Duffy, Kell, Diego R" Fy’ 4+ K+ Di’ + 0 Q.15 89.2 0 0 0.951 0.04 0.006 - - 0.449 0.543 0.007 0 0 Marshallese (present study) 4) Duffy System: In this system 89.2% Duffy (Fy*) positive bloods were found. A previous report of 100% Duffy (Fy*) positive reactions” (in 30 specimensthat had been stored for 16 months) indicates a needfor verifica- tion andclarification. 5) Other Systems: Kell tests were 100% negative as previously re- ported. Diego* tests were 100% negative. The failure to demonstrate the Diego factor in any of the studies conducted in this area of the world is noteworthy. To date its absence in Polynesians,”* Maoris,’* and now in Marshallese becomesa significant finding in view ofits occurrence in Mongoloids, Eskimos, and Amerindians,**-** to whom Heyerdahl”® credits the population of the Polynesian Islands. The gene frequency comparisons with other reports from this area are shown in Table 8. The above findings indicate a rather homoge- 100 74.6 tremes of gene frequencies. With somereservations because of the relatively small samplings, the following facts are of interest in the blood groupings of the Marshallese. 1) The extremely high frequency of the O gene (78.9%), 2) The extremely low frequency of the M gene (14%). 3) The highest incidence of the R' chromosome yet reported (98.5%). 4) The presence of 10.8% of Duffy (Fy*) negatives. 5} The absolute absence of Kell and Diego factors. 6) A single example of A.B in this area. The investigations of numerous authors, compiled and summarized by Mourant,'*® most nearly relate these blood groupings to those found in Southeast Asia and Indonesia, whererelatively frequent B genes are found, a high N frequency nous population of the Marshall Islands with ex- exists, and a similar high frequency of the R* chro- *We are indebted to Dr. Philip Levine who supplied the anti Di* serum and Dr. Miguel Layrisse who supplied the Di’ positive extremely low incidence of the M gene, and the cells for control. mosome is seen. The absolute absence of the Diego factor, the unusually high R* chromosomefrequencyof the