Genetic Polymorphisms and Gene Expression Variations at Enzyme Loci in Chinese Hamster Cell Lines

A series of Chinese hamster cell lines commonly used in somatic cell genetics research was examined for variations in either expression or electrophoretic mobility of 43 enzyme gene products by starch gel electrophoresis followed by histochemical staining. Stable variations in the qualitative expressions of the creatine kinase B and adenylate kinase 1 (AK1) loci were detected among the cell lines and verified in subclones. All ten cell lines examined were deficient in the expression of the lactate dehydrogenase B locus. Polymorphisms were detected for the adenosine deaminase (ADA) and AK2 loci among the cell lines and shown to exist in a series of Chinese hamsters. Electrophoretic banding patterns from tissues, sublines, and subclones of the same genetic source and Hardy-Weinberg distribution of phenotypes from different genetic sources confirmed that the polymorphisms were based on its inheritance of two codominant autosomal ADA and AK2 alleles that specified electrophoretically variant enzymes.