Multiple Forms of Formaldehyde Dehydrogenase from Human Red Blood Cells

Abstract

Red cell hemolysates from nonrelated Finns were analyzed by electrofocusing on polyacrylamide gel, and formaldehyde dehydrogenase (EC 1.2.1.1) was located by an activity-staining method. Three forms of the enzyme were constantly found for all the individuals studied but no variants were observed in this population (n = 217). Human liver also had three formaldehyde dehydrogenase forms with locations identical to those of the red cell formaldehyde dehydrogenase. Population genetic studies of formaldehyde dehydrogenase can easily be performed with red cell hemolysates with the techniques described here, and there is no need to use liver biopsy samples.