ISSN: 0022-1198
CODEN: JFSCA
Page Count: 5

Enzyme Phenotyping of Alaskan Bears for Wildlife Law Enforcement
Wolfe, JR
Chemist III, Division of Fish and Wildlife Protection, Crime Laboratory, AK

(Received 29 June 1983; accepted 13 September 1983)

Abstract

Two enzymes in Alaska brown and black bears were examined using cellulose acetate electrophoresis. Both species exhibited a two-allele polymorphism at the lactate dehydrogenase (LDH)-2 (M) locus (three phenotypes) with brown bear also showing a three-allele polymorphism at the 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (6PGD) locus (six phenotypes). Allele frequencies for the LDH-2 locus were 0.65 and 0.35 for black bears, and 0.96 and 0.04 for brown bears. 6PGD allele frequencies for brown bears were 0.19, 0.72, and 0.09. Phenotyping bear meat and blood can be of great value in investigating poaching cases when used for the comparison of meat or blood samples.

Keywords:
pathology and biology, bears, electrophoresis, enzymes, isozymes, black bear, brown bear, phenotyping, Ursus arctos, Ursus americanus

Paper ID: JFS11752J
DOI: 10.1520/JFS11752J
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