The phenotypic frequencies of group specific component and α-2-HS-glycoprotein in three ethnic groups. The use of these proteins as racial markers in forensic biology

Abstract

The phenotypic frequencies of group-specific component (Gc) and α-2-HS-glycoprotein (A2HS) were determined in White European, Asian and Afro-Caribbean populations. Typical allele frequencies were observed for Gc, with Gc ∗1S being the major allele for the first two groups and Gc ∗1F being the major allele for Afro-Caribbeans. For all groups the dominant A2HS allele was A2HS ∗1, although Asians had a significantly higher proportion of this allele than the White Europeans. Gc and A2HS either singly or in combination with other blood grouping systems provide good discriminating potential. The A2HS ∗10 allele was detected with a very low frequency in the White European group (A2HS ∗10 = 0.0013) and was not detected in the Asian group, while the Afro-Caribbean group had a relatively high frequency of this allele (A2HS ∗10 = 0.0966). The different distribution of the Gc ∗1F and A2HS ∗10 alleles in White Europeans and Asians compared with Afro-Caribbeans, can be used to determine the likelihood of blood coming from an Afro-Caribbean.