title: Ethnic differences in distributions of GSTM1 and GSTT1 homozygous "null" genotypes in India.
abstract: We estimated the frequencies of GSTM1 and GSTT1 "null" homozygotes in 10 different ethnic populations of India by a genotyping method based on polymerase chain reaction. These populations, inhabiting diverse geographical locations and occupying various positions in the sociocultural hierarchy, were represented by a sample of 299 unrelated individuals. Frequencies of GSTM1 and GSTT1 "null" homozygotes varied from 20% to 79% and 3% to 39%, respectively, across the study populations. Maximum frequencies of GSTM1 and GSTT1 "null" homozygotes (79% and 39%, respectively) have been observed in the same population (Jamatia). Frequencies of homozygous "null" genotypes at the GSTM1 and GSTT1 loci show a significant positive correlation in these populations, which is contrary to expectations. A possible implication is that the two enzymes are working in tandem, instead of working in a complementary way.
authors.affiliation: Anthropology and Human Genetics Unit, Indian Statistical Institute, Calcutta.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Roy
authors.forename: P P
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Majumder
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dey
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chakraborty
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Banerjee
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Roy
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mukherjee
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Sil
mesh_terms: D016000:Cluster Analysis; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000235:genetics*; D005787:Gene Frequency; D005982:Glutathione Transferase / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012923:Social Class
chemical_list: D005982:Glutathione Transferase