Association between ovine protein polymorphisms and geographical variables in Europe and south-west Asia

The spatial distribution of six blood-protein-polymorphisms in European and south-west Asian ovine breeds was analysed. Latitudinal dines were found for haemoglobin and transferrin loci. The respective F-ST values are hot significantly greater than those for protein-X, esterase, carbonic anhydrase, and albumin, where gene frequencies are not associated with latitude. The results suggest that historical processes of gene flow, rather than adaptation to different environments, have played a major role in determining the observed lives of gene frequencies.