Abstract
This study was carried out to establish genetic understanding of three Sasang constitutions of Taeumin, Soeumin and Soyangin by Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA(RAPD) analysis. We have applied RAPD analysis to pooled DNA sample as a means to achieve rapid screening of large numbers of primers for their capacity to reveal constitutions-specific polymorphisms. From an initial 440 primers, 13 polymorphic primers between different constitutions were selected. Bandsharing(BS) and mean average percentage difference(MAPD) calculated within and between three constitutions using RAPD fingerprint data showed a higher degree of homogenity within than between the constitutions and indicated measurable divergence between three constitutions. The RAPD bandsharing(BS) values ranged from 0.71 to 0.73 between the three constitutions. The interconstitution divergence was narrower between Taeumin and Soeumin, than between the other paired constitution comparisons. The genetic distance between the three constitutions was measured by BS values. Genetic distance by RAPD analysis was 0.007 between Taeumin and Soeumin, and 0.014 between Soyang and the others. In conclusion, the genetic distance of Teaumin and Soumin was closer than that of Soyangin in the analysis of RAPD by using 440 primers.