A sero-biochemical genetic study of Jalari and Brahmin caste populations of Andhra Pradesh, India

Blood specimens from Jalari and Brahmin caste populations of Andhra Pradesh, India, were examined for blood groups, red cell enzymes, and serum proteins. Of 33 genetic loci studied, 16 were observed to be invariant among both the castes, while common polymorphism or rare variants were observed in one or both populations for the other loci. Three rare heterozygotes at the phosphoglucoisomerase locus, two different peptidase A variants occurring once each and single cases of rare 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase and transferrin variants were recorded. Also a few cases of hemoglobin AS and anhaptoglobinemia were observed. The difference in rare variants between the two castes is conspicuous but large differences in their gene frequencies at the polymorphic loci were not observed. It is pointed out that the frequency of rare variants in the tribal and caste populations of Southern India appears to be higher than observed in temperate-dwelling civilized populations.