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Correlation between heterozygosity and subunit molecular weight

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Abstract

GENIC heterozygosity at enzyme loci has been examined for correlation with parameters as diverse as substrate specificity1, physiological function2 and quaternary structure3. However, none of these has provided an adequate explanation for allozymic variation in general. One report4 suggested a positive relationship for Drosophila enzymes between heterozygosity and subunit molecular weight (MW), which can be equated to the size of the structural gene element. Various models, both neutral and selective, would predict a correlation between gene size and variability5–7. Recently, a similar correlation has been found within three classes of vertebrates8,31, and between the number of rare alleles and subunit size in human populations9,10. We report here that we have tested the relationship between heterozygosity and subunit size in Drosophila species with a new selection of enzymes. Our results indicate that the correlation is indeed general. The relationship is quasi-linear and does not differ significantly from several models. The results support the hypothesis that there are constraints on the number of sites available to charge substitution within an enzyme molecule.

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Author notes

  1. ANDREW J. LEIGH BROWN

    Present address: Imperial Cancer Research Fund, Mill Hill Laboratories, Burtonhole Lane,, London, NW7, UK

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Animal Genetics, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, 27709

    ANDREW J. LEIGH BROWN & CHARLES H. LANGLEY

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  1. ANDREW J. LEIGH BROWN
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  2. CHARLES H. LANGLEY
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LEIGH BROWN, A., LANGLEY, C. Correlation between heterozygosity and subunit molecular weight. Nature 277, 649–651 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1038/277649a0

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