Genetic variability and gene flow in geographical populations of Ceratitis capitata (Wied.) (medfly).

TwoAfrican populations of Ceratitis capitata (Kenya and Reunion IsL) and two Mediterranean ones (Sardinia and Procida IsI.) have been studied for genetic variability at 25 foci by electro- phoresis. Wright's F5 Slatkin's Nm gene flow estimator, Nei's distance (D) together with measures of variability such as 1-1, P, A have been used to compare the population from Kenya with the other three. Parameters using gene frequencies (F51, D, Nm) indicate the presence of substantial geographic heterogeneity, largely attributable to genetic drift and correlated with dispersion of the medfly from its source area (Subsaharan Africa) to the periphery. The Kenyan population has high genetic variability (assessed by H, P and A), as might be expected given its native status. Significant gene flow estimates between Kenya and the derived Mediterranean populations supports the hypothesis of recent colonization. Part of the geographic heterogeneity is related to the presence of fixed alleles in the more differentiated Reunion population although it maintains the genetic attributes of the ancestral population. Selection or other forces may have played an important role in the differentiation of this population

Spatial and temporal differentiation in colonizing populations of Ceratitis capitata

Twoancestral populations (Kenya and Reunion), two Mediterranean (Procida and Sardinia) and one new American population (Guatemala) of Ceratitis capitata were examined by electrophoresis for genetic variability at 27 enzyme loci. Two ordination approaches (principal component analysis and a tree representation) and F-statistical analysis have been used to distinguish the various patterns of genetic variations and to infer the underline causes and their relative contribution to the total variation. Three main patterns of variation emerge from the data: geographical, annual and seasonal differentiation. A main part of intraspecific variability involves the differentiation of central (Kenya and Reunion) versus peripheral populations (the Meditterranean and the American populations). The analysis suggests that the genetic structure of these populations is correlated with the historical events of their colonization. The affinity of the Guatemalan population with the Kenyan one could be the result of a recent founding of this population from the source area (Africa). More ancient historical events of colonization characterize the two Mediterranean populations. Seasonal variation has been found in the Procida population and chiefly involves the Mpi locus. In the same population the genetic variation across years has a minimum in 1986 due to the release of sterile T- 101 males

Different polymorphic variants of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) in Italy

Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency is common in Italy and recent biochemical and kinetic studies have demonstrated the presence of polymorphic variants associated with severe or mild enzyme deficiency. We performed a biochemical characterization of G6PD in a large number of Italian G6PD deficient men in an attempt to identify the most reliable biochemical indices for discriminating polymorphic G6PD variants and to define their distribution throughout the country. Three polymorphic G6PD variants, respectively named Mediterranean, Cagliari and Sassari, were identified. The elution profile on DEAE-Sephadex column chromatography, substrate analogue utilization and the Michaelis constant for G6P were the most significant parameters to discriminate polymorphic variants among the variants with activity levels lower than 0.8 IU/g Hb. The distribution of the polymorphic variants, in relation to the origin of the subjects studied, differs throughout the countr