Electrophoretic variants of human 6‐phosphogluconate dehydrogenase: population and family studies and description of a new variant

Summary Erythrocyte 6‐phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (6‐PGD) from 2603 individuals was observed on starch gel following electrophoresis and several genetic variants are described. Among them is a new variant (the Friendship variant) detectable only in the absence of NADP from the gel and presenting a triple pattern for erythrocyte enzyme but only a single band for leucocyte or fibroblast enzyme. Family studies indicate that all the variants are due to autosomal co‐dominant alleles, and the population data suggest that the gene frequencies for the common alleles, PGD A and PGD C , are different between Negroes and whites.