Serum and red cell enzyme variants in an Amerindian tribe: the Sirionos (Eastern Bolivia).

Blood samples from 109 Siriono (Eastern Bolivia) belonging to the Tupi-Guarani group were investigated for enzyme variants in the following systems: glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, phosphogluconate dehydrogenase, adenylate kinase, phospho-glucomutase (locus 1 and 2), acid phosphatases, lactate dehydrogenase, NADH diaphorase, pseudocholinesterase (E1 and E2 locus), and serum alkaline phosphatase. The most relevant observations are: (1) A relative lack of polymorphism, a characteristic feature of the Amerindian populations studied up to now. These data are consistent with the hypothesis of a 'common ancestral background' in Indian populations whatever the degree of sociocultural and linguistic diversity, and the geographical distances. (2) Specific traits due to the frequency of alleles in some systems confer to that tribe a particular position among Amerindians. The effects of genetic drift may be postulated in order to explain the high rate of PGM and 6PGD polymorphism. Furthermore, in that small community, the disappearance of some alleles (pa gene) can plausibly be explained in terms of a balanced influence of mutational and selective pressure.