The Habbanite Isolate

Abstract

A genetic survey of some 700 Habbanite Jews from South-Arabia, who emigrated to Israel about 20 years ago, included a wide range of tests of red-cell antigens, serum groups, red-cell enzymes and secretion of ABH antigens. Among the remarkable results are high frequencies of B and M red cell antigens and acid phosphatase B type. Their haptoglobin 1 and phosphoglucomutase 1 gene frequencies are among the lowest yet recorded. A negroid component is suggested by the presence of genes such as V, cDe, Fy (a-b-) and Jsa, whereas their red-cell enzyme frequencies show little resemblance to those of negroid populations.