Variation in biochemical properties of allozymes of xanthine dehydrogenase in Drosophila pseudoobscura.

Twenty-six D. pseudoobscura strains isogenic for xanthine dehydrogenase alleles from Mesa Verde, Colorado, were tested for differences in the biochemical properties of different allelic forms of xanthine dehydrogenase. No significant differences in binding affinity (Km) or substrate specificity of the enzyme were found. Significant variation among strains, in activity (Vmax) and among electromorphs, as well as among strains, in thermolability was found. For the few strains tested, the activity and thermolability differences were shown to co-segregate with the electrophoretic mobility of the variant allele.