Genetic polymorphism of human phosphoglycolate phosphatase (PGP).

1. A method has been devised for the detection after starch-gel electrophoresis of phosphoglycolate phosphatase (PGP) isozymes. 2. PGP isozymes can be detected in all human tissues including red cells, lymphocytes and cultured fibroblasts. The highest activities occur in skeletal muscle and cardiac muscle. 3. PGP is a relatively specific phosphatase which shows enhanced activity in the presence of mercaptoethanol at a neutral pH.4. Six different commonly occurring electrophoretic types of PGP have been identified. Family studies indicate that they are determined by three alleles at an autosomal locus (PGP). 5. The gene frequencies of PGP1, PGP2 and PGP3 in a random sample of Europeans were 0.826, 0.129 and 0.045 respectively. 6. The three-banded isozyme patterns seen in heterozygotes suggest that PGP is a dimeric enzyme.