Abstract

Data on mechanisms of the formation of hybrid (heteropolymeric) isozymes are surveyed. Hybrid isozymes are considered to be the result of the interaction of allelic and some non-allelic genes at the translation level. Evidence is provided indicating that the formation of hybrid isozymes is closely related to the translation process of those mRNAs that synthesize allelic genes. It is suggested that the stage necessary for the formation of hybrid isozymes is compartmentalization (joint location) in the cytoplasm of the mRNAs that are synthesized by allelic genes. This suggestion helps to clarify many experimental data on the mechanisms of the formation of hybrid isozymes in various animal and plant species. One of the conclusions derived from this suggestion is that the compartmentalization of mRNAs of allelic genes creates conditions for an equal-probability quantitative manifestation of allelic genes in the phenotype prior to post-translation.