GENETIC VARIATION IN THE SHEEP RED BLOOD CELL

1. There are 7 well-established red-cell antigen (blood group) loci. The R-O system has 3 phenotypes, R, O and i, identified by the ‘naturally occurring’ antibodies, anti-R and anti-O. The R and O substances are also present in soluble form in some body secretions. The expression of R and O is controlled by a dominant gene I, epistatic in effect, at an independent locus from that of R. The systems, A, C, M-L, B, D and X-2 are identified by means of ‘immune-type’ antibodies, and several of the loci have multiple alleles. An isoenzymic form of serum alkaline phosphatase is associated with the R-O system. The frequency for the genes at the various loci has been determined in a limited number of breeds. 2. Some sheep red cells have high K+ and low Na+ concentrations (HK type, or Key), others have low K+ and high Na⁺ concentrations (LK type or Kea). Two other rare forms exist; Key type which is HK but with lower than normal K+ values, and Kep type which has approximately equal Na⁺ and K⁺ concentrations. The red cells of foetuses and newborn lambs have high K+ levels irrespective of their potassium genotype. HK cells have 3–4 times greater (Na+-K+)-activated ATPase activity, a 3–4 times increased rate of active K+ transport and a larger number of ouabain-binding sites than LK cells. Antigen M is present on homozygous HK and heterozygous LK red cells, and antigen L is present on homozygous and heterozygous LK red cells. Sensitization of LK cells with anti-L stimulates active K+ transport and ATPase activity and exposes a larger number of ouabain-binding sites in these cells. Anti-M has no effect. The red cells of newborn lambs only show weak L and M antigen activity. It is postulated that L antigen inhibits cation transport in LK cells by masking the pump sites on the membrane. Immature red cells in LK-type sheep have a high rate of active K+ transport and yet have L antigen present. No satisfactory explanation for this has yet been advanced. There is no conclusive evidence that the potassium types have any significance from the point of view of adaptation or sheep breeding. The potassium-gene frequencies are known for a large number of breeds. 3. Two allelic genes, Hb⁴ and Hb^B control 3 haemoglobin phenotypes, A, AB, and B. Foetal haemoglobin (HbF) is present in foetuses and newborn lambs. Sheep with HbA also synthesize small amounts of another haemoglobin (HbC) and under conditions of severe anaemia, synthesis of HbC takes over from that of HbA. No change in HbB is observed in anaemia. A rare haemoglobin (HbD) has been found in 3 Yugoslavian sheep. Hbs A, B, C and F differ in their physicochemical properties; they share the same alpha chains but their non-alpha chains differ in a number of amino acids. HbD differs from HbA in one amino acid in the alpha chain. Certain genetic aspects are discussed. There is some evidence that sheep with HbA are less fertile than those with HbB. The gene frequencies for Hb are known for a large number of breeds. 4. Two isoenzymic forms of carbonic anhydrase are found in red-cell lysates and these are controlled by a pair of allelic autosomal genes, producing 3 phenotypes, CAF, CAFS and CAS. Only a few breeds have been studied but CA^F is apparently quite rare. 5. An unidentified protein, designated ‘X’ is present in electrophoretic separations of haemolysates from some sheep. Its presence is dominant to its absence. Polymorphism at this locus is present in all breeds so far studied. 6. A deficiency of reduced glutathione (GSH) in red cells is found in some sheep and is inherited as an autosomal recessive disorder. Sheep with this deficiency have lower red-cell K+ and Na^f concentrations than normal and it is suggested that the HK GSH-deficient sheep may be Ked type sheep. This deficiency has so far only been found with certainty in one breed of sheep. 7. In sheep twin chimeras, admixture of red-cell antigens, haemoglobin and ‘X’ protein types has been found. Various aspects of chimerism, which occurs only rarely in sheep, are discussed. 8. The significance of the genetic variation is discussed in the light of the physiology and immunology of the red cell and of the sheep itself.     

GENETIC VARIATION IN SIX SPECIES OF SACOGLOSSAN OPISTHOBRANCHS

Genetic variation in allozymes of six species of Saco-glossa(Mollusca, Opisthobranchia) from Denmark was studied. Nine enzymesrepresenting 11 loci gave reactions that could be used to calculateallele frequencies. Elysia viridis, Limapontia capitata, L.de-pressa, Ercolania nigra, Alderia modesta and Calliopaea oophagaall showed very great variation both within and between species.Levels of polymorphism varied between 0.5 and 0.8, and levelsof observed heterozygosity were between 0.18 and 0.42. Interspecificidentity of alleles in polymorphic loci was only found betweenthe two species of Limapontia. Even in these two species geneticidentity (I) was very low (0.07) for congeneric species. Theresults are discussed in relation to habitat, fertility, developmenttype and geographic range of the species. (Received 28 February 1990; accepted 26 July 1990)     

GENETIC COMPONENTS OF VARIATION IN ENERGY STORAGE IN DROSOPHILA MELANOGASTER

One approach to examining the underlying genetic structure of the variation in a continuous phenotype is to measure a set of possibly mechanistically related traits and determine the quantitative genetic aspects of their transmission. In this study the quantities of stored triacylglycerol and glycogen were measured along with the activities of 10 enzymes in related metabolic pathways in a set of 1,157 half-sib families of Drosophila melanogaster. The families were structured with each male being mated to 10 females and two offspring were scored from each female. Parents and offspring were scored for the phenotypes, and the components of variance (additive, dominance, and environmental) were estimated in three ways, including analysis of variance on offspring alone, parent-offspring regression, and maximum likelihood methods. While there were differences among the estimates made by the three methods, a consistent result was that substantial additive genetic variation was detected for all the traits. Consistent with models for the quantitative genetics of enzyme kinetics, the genetic variances of global properties were largely additive. Previous studies with extracted chromosome lines had indicated several significant genetic correlations among these characters, and much of the correlation was attributable to additive effects. The results imply that there is substantial opportunity for natural or artificial selection to act on quantities of stored lipid and carbohydrate, and that the response to selection is likely to be in part mediated by changes in the kinetics of the enzymes targeted in this study.     

VARIATION IN CONTRIBUTIONS OF ASEXUAL REPRODUCTION TO THE GENETIC STRUCTURE OF POPULATIONS OF THE SEA ANEMONE METRIDIUM SENILE

Northeastern North American populations of the sea anemone Metridium senile show marked differences in levels of genotypic diversity. Comparisons with expectations generated by computer simulation show that some populations are genotypically as diverse as expected for sexually reproducing populations with free recombination, whereas others are significantly less diverse than expected, despite efforts to avoid collecting clonemates. These reductions in diversity are not attributable to the Wahlund effect; they probably result from extensive clonal reproduction. Reduced genotypic diversity may be produced by low rates of recruitment of planktonic larvae, followed by asexual proliferation. The resulting founder effect may account for previously documented random allele-frequency variation between adjacent populations. It is presently uncertain whether the few genotypes found in some populations are particularly well-adapted to local conditions.     

ADAPTIVE GENETIC VARIATION IN GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF TADPOLES OF THE HYBRIDOGENETIC RANA ESCULENTA COMPLEX

The distribution and proportion of the sexual species Rana lessonae to the hemiclonal hybrid R. esculenta among natural habitats suggests that these anurans may differ in adaptive abilities. I used a half-sib design to partition phenotypic and quantitative genetic variation in tadpole responses at two food levels into causal variance components. Rana lessonae displays strong phenotypic variation across food levels. Growth rate is strictly determined by environmental factors and includes weak maternal effects. Larval period and body size at metamorphosis both contain moderate levels of additive genetic variance. The sire x food interactions and the lack of environmental correlations indicate that adaptive phenotypic plasticity is present in both of these traits. In contrast, R. esculenta displays less phenotypic variation across food levels, especially for larval period. Variation in body size at metamorphosis is underlain by genetic variation as shown by high levels of additive genetic variance, yet growth rate and larval period are not. Significant environmental correlations between larval period at high food level and growth, larval period, and body size at low food, indicate phenotypic plasticity is absent. A positive phenotypic correlation between body size at metamorphosis and larval period for R. lessonae at both food levels suggests a trade-off between growing large and metamorphosing quickly to escape predation or pond drying. The lack of a similar correlation for R. esculenta at the high food level suggests it may be less constrained. Different levels of adaptive genetic variation among larval traits suggest that the sexual species and the hybridogenetic hemiclone differ in their abilities to cope with temporally and spatially heterogeneous environments.