Absence of the alpha-1-antitrypsin PIZ allele in Tunisia substantiates the particular genetic structure of African populations

Alpha‐1‐antitrypsin (PI) phenotypes were studied in a sample of 450 Tunisians. The observed frequencies of PI alleles were identical to those in African populations, with a very low incidence of PI*S and virtual absence of PI*Z. Such figures are similar to estimates in Asians and clearly opposite to those in Europeans. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 9:223–224, 1997. © 1997 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.