Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-c4f8m Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-18T20:48:15.757Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Allelic diversity of the human plasma α(1,3)fucosyltransferase gene (FUT6)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 July 1999

H. PANG
Affiliation:
Division of Human Genetics, Department of Forensic Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Fukuoka 830–0011, Japan
Y. KODA
Affiliation:
Division of Human Genetics, Department of Forensic Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Fukuoka 830–0011, Japan
M. SOEJIMA
Affiliation:
Division of Human Genetics, Department of Forensic Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Fukuoka 830–0011, Japan
T. SCHLAPHOFF
Affiliation:
Laboratory for Tissue Immunology, Department of Immunology, Medical School, Cape Town 7935, South Africa
E. D. DU TOIT
Affiliation:
Laboratory for Tissue Immunology, Department of Immunology, Medical School, Cape Town 7935, South Africa
H. KIMURA
Affiliation:
Division of Human Genetics, Department of Forensic Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Fukuoka 830–0011, Japan
Get access

Abstract

The 1080-bp coding region of the human plasma α(1,3)fucosyltransferase gene (FUT6) was sequenced in a total of 161 individuals (322 chromosomes) drawn from three populations, involving 56 Africans (Xhosa), 52 European-Africans of South Africa, and 53 Japanese. In addition to six reported base substitutions, eleven new base substitutions and a single base insertion were found in the coding region of the FUT6. Eleven functional and four null alleles were encountered, of which 10 alleles were novel alleles identified in this study. Two null alleles have been identified previously, whereas two novel null alleles, which contained a single base (cytosine) insertion at nucleotide 499, were found in a Xhosa population. The allelic distributions of FUT6 were different among these three populations. The heterozygosity of FUT6 was 0.860, 0.699, and 0.632, in Xhosa, European-African (South Africa), and in Japanese populations, respectively. The extensive DNA sequence diversity of the FUT6 may be suitable for application as a tool in genetic studies for modern human evolution.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
© University College London 1999

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)