Genetic Studies on the Savara and Jatapu Tribes of Andhra Pradesh, India

Abstract

A total of nearly 300 persons belonging to the Savara and Jatapu tribes in the Srikakulum District of northern Andhra Pradesh have been tested for electrophoretic variation in 13 red cell enzyme systems, and also haemoglobin. The gene frequencies for the systems showing variation are within the range for other South Indian populations, and there are no significant differences between the two tribal groups investigated in this report except in the case of adenylate kinase. The Jatapu (along with the Kadar of Kerala) have the highest frequency of AK¹ so far reported in India. Both the Savara and Jatapu showed a low frequency for Hb AS, and LDH-Calcutta 1 was not detected in either population.

Genetic Studies on the Kolams of Andhra Pradesh, India

“…This concept has been strengthened by the absence of LDH Cal cutta 1 in Todas and Malayarayans from the Nilgiri Hills [Saha et al, 1976], in the Kota , and also in the Savara and Jatapu [Rao et al, 1978]. The absence of LDH Calcutta 1 in the Kolams therefore supports the postulate of Saha et al [1974] that the allele is not a genetic marker of Indian tribal groups.…”

“…The value of 20% for the Kolams is comparable with that for the Naickers and Reddiars of Tamil Nadu [Ananthakrishnan and Kirk, 1969;Ananthakrishnan, 1972] and the Savara and Jatapu of Andhra Pradesh [Rao et al, 1978], On the other hand, the gene frequency for p:i in the Kadar is 10% [Saha et al, 1974] and in the Kota is 46% [Gosh et al, 1977], No examples of pc were detected in the Ko lams.…”

“…An un usually high frequency for PDGC in India is the value of almost 17% for the Kadar of Kerala [Saha et al, 1974] whilst no exam ples of PGDC were detected in 126 Savara and 154 Jatapu from Andhra Pradesh [Rao et al, 1978]. The novel allele PGDKADAR was not detected in the Kolams.…”

“…Rare electrophoretic variants of this red cell enzyme occur in many parts of the world: Blake et al [1971] have reported PHI 3-1, 5-1 and 9-1 in Northern Indians; Defter et al [1968] record PHI 3-1, 7-1 and 9-1 in Indians resident in England; PHI 3-1 has been reported in Punjabis by Papiha et al [1972] and in the Jatapu of Andhra Pra desh by Rao et al [1978]; both PHI 2-1 and 3-1 have been detected in Kerala by Saha et al [1976], A single example of PHI 2-1 was observed in this study of the Kolams.…”

“…Over recent years, an increasing amount of data on red cell enzyme groups is becoming available for south India: Ananthakrishmn and Kirk [1969] and Ananthakrishmn [1972] have reported on populations in the Madras re gion; Saha et al [1974] have studied the Kadar of Kerala and Saha et al [1976] have carried out genetic studies in Kerala and the Nilgiri Hills; blood group, serum protein and red cell enzyme data for the Kota has been presented by Gosh et al [1977], and genetic studies on the Andhra tribal groups, Savara and Jatapu have been presented by Rao et al [1978]. Table I shows the numbers of Kolams sampled in the different villages in Asifabad and Utnur Taluks, Adilabad District, the locations being shown in figure 1.…”