ERYTHROCYTE GLYOXALASE-I POLYMORPHISM IN SEVERAL POPULATION GROUPS IN ISRAEL

The genetic polymorphism of red blood cell glyoxalase I (GLO) was investigated in 9 population groups in Israel: Ashkenazi Jews, non-Ashkenazi Jews from Iran, Iraq, Balkan, North Africa, Yemen, Turkey and Egypt as well as Arabs living in Israel. The distribution of GLO1 and GLO2 genes in the 9 communities was not homogeneous (.chi.2 = 14.48; degrees of freedom = 8; P < 0.0005). Jews from Iran had the lowest GLO1 frequency (0.2294), while those from Egypt had the highest gene frequency (0.3968). The other investigated communities had intermediate values for this gene frequency. No significant difference was found between Ashkenazi and non-Ashkenazi Jews (with the exception of those from Egypt) or Arabs living in Israel.