On Immunogenetic Relationships between the Antigenic Characters Specific to Two Species of Columbidae.

REVIOUS papers from this laboratory have described the isolation and P identification in unit-form of the antigenic characters of the red blood cells whereby Pearlneck (Sneptopelia chinensis) and Senegal (St. senegalensis), respectively, differ from Ringdove (Sl. risovia) (IRWIN 1939; IRWIN and CUMLEY 1947). The cellular antigens specific to the respective species are gene determined, but whether only one gene, or several on a single chromosome, are involved in the production of each of these characters is an open question. From the immunological identity or similarity of these antigenic components can be deduced the relationships of the genes producing the characters specific to each of these two species. Such studies form the basis of this paper.