Genetics of plasma transferrins in the mouse

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
1. The plasma proteins of six inbred strains of mice have been studied, using starch-gel electrophoresis. 2. The existence of two alternative plasma transferrin (β-globulin) phenotypes has been demonstrated. Five of the strains have one of these and one strain has the other. Each of the two transferrin patterns comprises three (or possibly only two) electrophoretic bands. The two patterns differ in all of these bands. 3. The two transferrin types recognized are determined by a pair of allelic, autosomal genes (designatedTrfA andTrfB ). The TrfA phenotype (CBA strain) is determined by the genotypeTrfA/TrfA , and the TrfB phenotype (A, C57BL, JU, KL, RIII strains) by the genotypeTrfB/TrfB . The phenotype TrfAB, of the heterozygote (genotypeTrfA/TrfB ), is distinguishable and shows four (or possibly only three) bands. In this way it closely resembles a mixture of equal parts of TrfA and TrfB plasma. 4. No linkage was detected between theTrflocus and sex, the agouti locus or the haemoglobin locus. 5. The possible molecular basis of the action of the transferrin alleles in the mouse, and the widespread distribution in mammals of polymorphism involving the transferrins, are discussed.