Distribution of PGM1 subtypes in 12 populations of China

The distribution of PGM1 subtypes in 12 populations of China was studied by using isoelectric focusing (IEF) in 0.5 mm thick polyacrylamide gel, pH 5-7. It was found that the PGM1*1A frequency was higher in northern China and lower in the south. Phosphoglucomutase (PGM: E. C. 2. 7. 5. 1) occurs in all human tissues and is controlled by four autosomal loci, i.e., PGM1, PGM2, PGM3 [Hopkinson and Harris 1968] and PGM4 [Cantu and Ibarra 1982]. The Polymorphism at the PGM1 locus in human was first revealed in 1964 [Spencer et al 1964]. Since then, extensive studies showed that two codominant alleles, PGM1*1 and PGM1*2, are present on locus PGM1 in all populations, as well as many rare alleles. Investigations with isoelectric focusing (IEF) revealed the presence of four common allotypes, which were previously labelled as PGM1*1+, PGM*1-, PGM*2+, PGMI*2- [Bark et al 1976]. The workshop, held in West Germany in 1985, recommended a new nomenclature: PGM1*1A, PGM1*1B, PGM1*2A and PGM1*2B instead of PGM*1+, PGM1*1-, PGM1*2+ and PGM1*2- in order to avoid misunderstanding [Dykes et al 1985]. A large body of data on the distribution of the four common PGM1 alleles in different populations in the world has been accumulated. But the data on PGM1 in China are yet very limited. The present paper reports the PGM1 gene frequencies in 8 national minorities and 4 subpopulations of Han in China.