Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase Boston

Summary A hitherto undescribed variant of erythrocyte glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6-PD) activity, G-6-PD Boston, is described in a 24-year-old Caucasian male of Polish-Jewish ancestry. A marked decrease in red cell G-6-PD activity was associated, in this individual, with a compensated hemolytic process. The electrophoretic mobility of the partially purified enzyme on cellulose acetate at pH 9.1 and on starch gel was indistinguishable from normal but the apparent K_m for both G-6-PD (18–21 M) and NADP (1.7–2.2) was significantly decreased. Preliminary evidence supports the concept that G-6-PD Boston may not be extremely rare among this particular population group.