Serum protein polymorphism among Tunisian Berbers: haptoglobin, transferrin and group-specific component subtypes, C3 and BF types.

The polymorphism of serum proteins (Hp, Tf, Gc, C3 and BF) was determined on 210 samples belonging to Berber groups living in three regions of Tunisian. The gene frequencies obtained among the Berbers are different from the the values observed among the other Tunisians. These frequencies differ also within the three-Berber communities. The data collected show that the actual Berber community is genetically heterogeneous. Despite the presence of some African admixture, the gene pool of the Berbers from Tunisia shows large homologies with Middle Eastern groups rather than similarities with North African populations.