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Genetic variation of the cytoplasmic and mitochondrial malic enzymes in the monkey Macaca nemestrina

Abstract

Electrophoretic variation of both the cytoplasmic and mitochondrial forms of the malic enzyme is described in Macaca nemestrina. Pedigree analysis of the observed phenotypes demonstrates that the two subcellular forms of the malic enzyme are genetically independent. The identity of the electrophoretic phenotypes in brain, heart muscle, liver, kidney, adrenal, and spleen from any given individual shows that each subcellular form is determined by the same genetic locus in a wide variety of tissues. After separation by ion exchange chromatography, the cytoplasmic and mitochondrial malic enzymes were shown to be distinct in their heat stability and K m for malate, but no significant differences were found among the variants of the cytoplasmic enzyme or among the variants of the mitochondrial enzyme. It is possible that the polymorphism of the mitochondrial malic enzyme is selectively neutral.

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This study was supported by grant GM-15253 from the National Institutes of Health. One of us (G.S.O.) was a Special Fellow, U.S. Public Health Service (5F3 HD 43, 122-02); Fellow, National Genetics Foundation.

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Cohen, P.T.W., Omenn, G.S. Genetic variation of the cytoplasmic and mitochondrial malic enzymes in the monkey Macaca nemestrina . Biochem Genet 7, 289–301 (1972). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00484829

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00484829

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