Genetic variation in parotid basic proteins (Pb) in the Bozo (Mali, West Africa).

The frequency of variants in the Pb system was studied in 71 individuals from the Bozo tribe in the Bani-Niger area (Mali, West Africa), in 25 male students from different African countries, and in 110 Dutch students. The frequency of the Pb2 allele was 0.20 in the Bozo and 0.00 in the Dutch population. A comparison is made with the results of a study among American blacks and with a Japanese study. The Pb 2--2 phenotypes observed in this study favour the hypothesis that the Pb-2 c protein is derived from a larger precursor in a manner analogous to the generation of the Pb-1 b protein from Pb-1 protein e.