Lactate dehydrogenase isozymes in the genusXenopus: Species-specific patterns

✍ Scribed by Vonwyl, E. ;Fischberg, M.

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1980
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 776 KB
• Volume: 211
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0022-104X
• DOI: 10.1002/jez.1402110305

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

The LDH isozymes of 13 species and subspecies of the genus Xenopus have been analysed electrophoretically. In seven species and subspecies, five isozymes were found as in most vertebrates. The remaining species display more than five bands.

The gene which codes for the A subunit shows little variability. With one exception (X.fraseri), all species with 36 chromosomes and X.tropicalis with 20 chromosomes possess the same A gene or at least a gene product with the same mobility. In contrast to this, the gene which codes for the B subunit differs in all but one case, thus producing species‐specific isozyme patterns.

An allelic polymorphism at the LDH‐B locus in an X.laevis subspecies was found. In heterozygotes, the expected 15 isozymes can clearly be visualized. Since X.laevis can be considered as being tetraploid in respect to X.tropicalis, the occurrence of three genotypes in the offspring of a single pair mating gives evidence that one LDH‐B locus was rendered silent during evolution.