Distribution of hereditary blood groups among Indians in South America. IV. In Chile with inferences concerning genetic connections between Polynesia and America

This is the fourth paper in a series on the distribution of blood groups among Indians of South America. It reports the findings on the Indians of Chile and the Polynesians of Chile's Easter Island. Blood specimens were procured from the following putatively pure Indians and unmixed Polynesians: 44 Alacaluf of Puerto Eden, Isla Wellington, 141 Mapuche (Araucanian) of Lonquimay, Malleco Province, 80 Atacameños of Antofagasta Province, and 45 Polynesians of Easter Island. These 310 samples were tested for blood factors in the A-B-O, M-N-S-s, P, Rh-Hr, Lutheran, K-k, Lewis, Duffy, Kidd and Diego systems, and for the Wright (Wr^a) agglutinogen. Serum samples were tested for haptoglobins and transferrins. Hemolysates prepared from the blood clots were tested for hemoglobin types. The results are presented as phenotype incidences and calculated gene frequencies in appropriate tables. Locations of the populations from which blood samples were procured are shown on two maps. The high frequencies for the O gene usually reported for South American Indians obtain in putatively pure Chilean Indians but A¹ is high in Easter Island Polynesians. In both Indians and Polynesians M, s, R¹ (CDe), R² (cDE), Lu^b, k, Le^H, and Fy^a gene frequencies are high and B, N, S, Mi^a, Vw, Rº (cDe), r (cde), Lu^a, K, Le¹, Fy^b, and Wr^a (Ca) are low or absent. The Diego (Di) gene is present in the Mapuche and Atacameños but absent in the Alacaluf and Polynesians. Hp¹ gene frequencies were determined only in the Alacaluf and Atacameños, in which they are 0.48 and 0.67 respectively. Transferrins were determined for the Alacaluf and Atacameños Indians and all were classified as Tf C. All Chilean Indian and Polynesian specimens were tested electrophoretically for hemoglobin types and all contained only hemoglobin (A) as a major component.     

A comparison of autoclaved and gamma-irradiated soils as media for microbial colonization experiments

Summary The effects on various properties of Lincoln Clay of a sterilizing dose of gamma radiation (3.0 megarads) were compared to the effects resulting from autoclaving the soil (121°C) for 1 hour. Effects of both treatments were much more drastic when moist, rather than air-dry soil was treated but, in general, radiation had less effect on soluble organic matter and on total water-extractable electrolyte than did autoclaving. Radiation caused a greater release of NH₄-N from soil treated moist than did autoclaving but the reverse was true in dry soil. Alcohol-soluble ninhydrin-positive material was increased by both sterilization procedures with irradiation having the greater effect. The aggregate stability of Lincoln clay was decreased by irradiation and increased by autoclaving.Pure cultures of bothArthrobacter sp. andPseudomonas sp. grew better, on the basis of cell yields, in irradiated than in autoclaved soil. Respiration of mixed soil organisms in an artificial soil amended with an extract of irradiated soil was almost identical with that in an extract of air-dried soil but auto-claved soil extract was only metabolized after a prolonged lag period.This work was supported by grant # A 1702 from the National Research Council of Canada, Ottawa, Canada.     

Sable and umbrous mice

Summary An umbrous gene in the house mouse is described which is transmitted in crosses as a simple dominant. The same gene is capable of engendering a sable phenotype with yellow and an umbrous-agouti with white-bellied agouti. It assorts independently of the agouti locus, with which it was specifically tested, and probably of sex. The manifestation of the gene is briefly contrasted with other known cases of umbrous heredity.