controls, although two hemoglobin samples, 6A and 8A, from the group of 9 individuals exposed to 69 R had high contents of isoleucine.

Table l.

Frequency of substitution of isoleucine for other amino acids
in human hemoglobin from Marshallese.

Exposure (R)0 controls
175

69
175 in utero
69 in utero
0 offspring

No.

of

Substitution

samples

frequency + SEM (x 10°)

25

3.09 + 0.33

39

4.77

9
3
1
5

+ 0.67

p value*
0.05>p>0.025

4.45 + 1.16
3.26 + 0.64
6.84
5.24 + 0.85

NS
NS
NS
NS

*Probability of significant difference from controls.

Blood samples were obtained from 9 exposed persons in successive years
to determine whether fluctuations in isoleucine content occurred.
The data
are shown in Table 2.
Fluctuations noted for samples 3R, 24R, 35R, and 71R

could be due to variant clones of erythrocytes arising from individual stem
cells, which appear and disappear from the peripheral circulation. Such fluctuations have not been observed in specimens from normal laboratory personnel.

Table 2.

Frequency of substitution of isoleucine in samples analyzed in
consecutive years.

Exposure (R)

Sample number

175
175
175

175

175
69
69
69
69

-

Substitution frequency
(x_105)

1974

1975

1976

3R
24R
33R

19.79
13.45
4.74

1.76
7.00
2.16

6.69

71R
6A
Gia
44A
454

8.29
6.98

1.45
6.29
2.56
2.17
3.23

2.85

35R

5.19

4.04
3.65

- 34 -

2.17

3.10

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