38
3, the Micronesians exhibiting the lowest fre-
Table 23
quency, it is felt that no conclusions concerning
differences between ethnic groups can be drawn
at this time.”
Table 22 shows the gene frequencies for the six
. genetic polymorphismsfound.
¢. Blood Studies for Genetically Inherited Traits
in the Marshalflese.* A large body of data has
been collected from genetic studies on the Marshallese people. The results are not only of great
anthropological interest but also may show in time
some possible genetic effects of radiation exposure
in future generations. Table 23 lists the frequency
of the various traits tested.
Blood grouping studies show that the Marshallese
have a relatively high B gene frequency, a high N
gene frequency, an extremely high R! genefrequency, and total absence of Keil and Diego fac-
tors. These characteristics differ from those of Poiynesians and suggest a relationship of the Marshailese people with Southeast Asians and Indonesians.
Haptoglobin studies showed a frequency of the
Hp? genehigher than in European populations
thus far tested and consistent with that of populations living near the equator. The distribution of
haptoglobin types showed the population to be
relatively homogeneous. Transferrins in all sera
were type CC, the common European type. £Aminoisobutyric acid urinary levels showed the .
Marshallese to be the highest excreters of this acid
of any population thus far reported. Levels in the
exposed group were about the sameas in the un-
exposed group, and no correlation was found with
body burden levels of radionuclides; this indicates
that there is probably no correlation with radiation exposure. Hemoglobin types were considered
normai(ail had type AAg). Sickling tests showed no
sickling tendency in any of the people. Glucose-6phosphate dehydrogenase of the red cells appeared to
be normal in the Marshallese. Studies of Gm pheno-
Genetically Inherited Traits in Marshallese
Trait
Frequency
(%)
Gene
frequency
ABO (310 peopie)
Oo
60.7
R,
B
15.1
Q, 0.103
A
AB
19.7
4.5
P,
0.768
0.128
MN(310 peopie)
M
MN
N
8.0
22.0
70.0
Kell (310 people)
0.0
Diego (310 people)
0.0
M0194
N
0.806
RI
0.950
R®
0.030
Rh (310 people)
RhyRhy,
90.9
Rh,Rh
3.9
Rhirhe
Rhz
Rho
4.2
0.3
0.6
R2 * 0.020
Haptoglobins (176 people)
Types 1-1
33.5
Types 2-1
47.2
Types 2-2
Types 0 & rare
18.2
1.1
Ag system (187 people)
' C.deB.
New York
98.0
38.0
Hemoglobin (171peopie)
AAg
100.0
BAIB (188 people)
High excretors
90.0
Australia antigen (474 people)
types showed the Marshallese to have 100% Gmi'#+)
and nearly 100% Gm+). There was a complete
absence of Gm? and a high frequency of Gm-like
(Gm¢). Serum studies for the Ag system reveal
that the Rongelapese compared with other worid
*Weare grateful to the following persons for analyses: blood
groupings ~ Dr. L.N. Sussman, Beth Israel Hospital; haptogiobins, transferrins, AG antigens ~ Dr. B.S. Blumberg, Institute for
Cancer Research, Philadelphia; hemogiobin types - Drs. R.L.
Engle, Jr. and G. Castillo, Corneil University Medical Center,
and Dr. S.H. Bayer, Johns Hopkins Hospital: giucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase studies - Dr. Bayer; BAIB studies - Dr.
3.ML Gartler, University of Washington, and Dr. Blumberg.
5005135
populations have a high frequency of C.deB. antiserum reactors and a low frequency of New York
antiserum reactors. The level of BAIB (8-aminoiso-butyric acid) was the highest yet reported for
any population.
Considerable caution must be exercised in eval-
uating the results of these studies on genetically
inherited characteristics because of the small
numberof samples tested. The data do seem to indicate relative homogeneity of the population and
closest kinship with people of Southeast Asia.