Abstract: | 24 variants of alpha 1-antitrypsin (alpha 1-AT) were recognized in sera of 120 wild and capture-born African green monkeys by isoelectrofocusing in Ampholine PAG-plates (pH 4-6.5) and western blotting with antihuman alpha 1-AT serum. All variants had much more cathodal position than human alpha 1-AT and revealed very high microheterogeneity which was slightly different from the observed in human alpha 1-AT. The alpha 1-AT banding pattern allowed to postulate existence of 10 codominant alleles in the Pi locus of African green monkeys. The reality of 8 alleles was proved by family analysis which included 45 monkey birth cases. Two other alleles were absent in the parents available. Thus, alpha 1-AT is the most polymorphic among the known serum proteins of African green monkeys. The latter can be useful for molecular systematics of these primates. |