Blood Protein Polymorphisms in Jewish Populations

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Abstract
The author has reviewed available data for Jewish populations on gene frequencies of the polymorphic serum proteins haptoglobin (Hp), groupspecific component (Gc), and pseudocholmesterase (PCE), and the polymorphic erythrocyte enzymes phosphoglucomutase (PGM), adenosine deaminase (ADA), adenylate kinase (AK), acid phosphatase (AP), and glutamic-pyruvic transaminase (GPT). Jews were heterogeneous with respect to frequencies of Gc, PGM, ADA, and GPT, and European Jews tended to resemble European non-Jews. In contrast, frequencies of AP and Hp in European Jews resembled those of Mediterranean non-Jewish populations. Jews have undergone extensive interbreeding with indigenous non-Jewish populations, but still retain some genetic evidence of their Mediterranean origin.