Polymorphism of human gamma-globin genes in Mediterranean populations

Transient neonatal cyanosis associated with a new Hb F variant: Hb F viseu

Neonatal cyanosis in healthy newborns can be associated either with methemoglobin due to cytochrome b5 reductase deficiency or to M-hemoglobin, a group of hemoglobin variants resulting from mutations in the globin chain genes. We report the clinical case of a neonate with cyanosis and normal cardiac and respiratory function. At birth the hematological parameters were normal; however, the methemoglobinemia was 16%. Spontaneously, the cyanosis gradually decreased and by the fifth month of age the methemoglobin level was normal. A heterozygous Gγ-globin gene (HBG2) missense mutation 87 C-A (Leu28Met) was identified. His father, with a history of transfusion in the neonatal period, is heterozygous for the same mutation. This hemoglobin variant, not previously described, was called Hb F Viseu and is the sixth Gγ-chain variant reported in association with neonatal cyanosis.

Frequency of human A gamma 75Thr globin chain in a population from Tunisia

Cord blood samples, collected at Sousse and Monastir, from Tunisian newborns were focused on a thin layer of agarose in order to detect the carriers of the A gamma 75Thr chain (A gamma chain bearing a replacement Ile-->Thr at position 75). Nineteen individuals (10%) were positive for this variant. The frequency of the A gamma 75Thr gene in the Tunisian population (0.050) is compared with that of various ethnic populations.

Structural basis for restriction-site polymorphism at the albumin locus in inbred strains of rats

Two types of variant EcoRI restriction enzyme patterns of albumin-gene DNA fragments are found in different inbred strains of rats and reflect allelic polymorphism. The structural basis of the two allelic forms has been analyzed by mapping the EcoRI fragments using cloned albumin cDNA probes corresponding to the 5' or 3' end of the rat albumin mRNA and different genomic subclones. Additional restriction fragment length polymorphism has been detected using the restriction endonucleases HindIII and MspI. The results suggest that the two allelic variants differ from each other by multiple cleavage-site variations (base-pair substitutions) and by an insertion or deletion of DNA sequences. An extensive DNA sequence variation appears to exist between the two forms of the albumin gene; we have estimated that as much as 4% of the nucleotides in this region varied between the two alleles. All of this genetic variation is found in the intervening sequences of the gene and has no phenotypic manifestation.

Deletions in the alpha-globin gene complex in alpha-thalassemic mice

Three induced, heritable mutations in the mouse cause alpha-thalassemias. The adult alpha-globin genes on each mutant chromosome are no longer expressed. Embryos heterozygous for one normal and any of the three mutant chromosomes also seem to be deficient in embryonic alpha-globin-like x-globin, suggesting that the x-globin gene is nearby and also inactivated. A normal genetic polymorphism for a specific EcoRI site in or around the mouse alpha-globin gene complex has been used here to show that each of the three mutated chromosomes has a deletion that includes the segment of a 12-kilobase EcoRI band which normally carries one of the two adult alpha-globin genes. The deletion of the comparable part of the second alpha-globin gene site is also inferred. Nonetheless, a 4.7-kilobase EcoRI segment which carries a characterized alpha-globin-like pseudogene is still present in each mutant. These mutations were recovered after triethylenemelamine or x-ray treatments.

Homology and concerted evolution at the alpha 1 and alpha 2 loci of human alpha-globin

The identical structure of two racially distinct alpha 1-globin alleles and the high degree of homology between the alpha 1- and alpha 2-globin loci indicate that mechanisms exist for suppression of allelic polymorphisms and for exchange of genetic information within the alpha-globin gene complex.

Survey of cord blood hemoglobin in Japan and identification of two new gamma chain variants

Two gamma chain variants were discovered during a survey of 2,569 cord bloods of Japanese. One was the first case with mutation of the T-gamma chain, i. e. Hb F Yamaguchi or gamma 80 (EF 4) Asp leads to Asn (75 Thr, 136 Ala). It comprised 33.6% of Hb F, an unusually high percentage for a gamma chain variant. The other concerned with the first report of substitution at E 16, i. e. Hb F Iwata or gamma 72 (E 16) Gly leads to Arg (75 Ile, 136 Ala). It comprised 11.0% which is comparable to the values usually reported in an A-gamma chain variant. No clinical consequences have been observed in association with the hemoglobin variants.

The structure of the human gamma-globin gene locus and its relation to the delta/beta-globin gene locus

Previous maps of the human gamma-globin gene locus and the human delta/beta-globin gene locus have been linked to one another by the identification of a DNA fragment, generated by BamHI, that contains portions of the A gamma- and delta-globin genes. The intergene distances are: between G gamma and A gamma, 3500 base pairs; between A gamma and delta, 13,500 base pairs; between delta and beta, 5500 base pairs. All genes contained introns between the EcoRI and BamHI intragenic sites. All genes were transcribed from the same strand.

The chromosomal arrangement of human alpha-like globin genes: sequence homology and alpha-globin gene deletions

We report the isolation of a cluster of four alpha-like globin genes from a bacteriophage lambda library of human DNA (Lawn et al., 1978). Analysis of the cloned DNA confirms the linkage arrangement of the two adult alpha-globin genes (alpha 1 and alpha 2) previously derived from genomic blotting experiments (Orkin, 1978) and identifies two additional closely linked alpha-like genes. The nucleotide sequence of a portion of each of these alpha-like genes was determined. One of these sequences is tentatively identified as an embryonic zeta-globin gene (zeta 1) by comparison with structural data derived from purified zeta-globin protein (J. Clegg, personal communication), while the other sequence cannot be matched with any known alpha-like polypeptide sequence (we designate this sequence phi alpha 1). Localization of the four alpha-like sequences on a restriction map of the gene cluster indicates that the genes have the same transcriptional orientation and are arranged in the order 5'-zeta 1-phi alpha 1-alpha 2-alpha 1-3'. Genomic blotting experiments identified a second, nonallelic zeta-like globin gene (phi 2) located 10-12 kb 5' to the cloned zeta-globin gene. Comparison of the locations of restriction sites within alpha 1 and alpha 2 and heteroduplex studies reveal extensive sequence homology within and flanking the two genes. The homologous sequences, which are interrupted by two blocks of nonhomology, span a region of approximately 4 kb. This extensive sequence homology between two genes which are thought to be the products of an ancient duplication event suggests the existence of a mechanism for sequence matching during evolution. One consequence of this arrangement of homologous sequences is the occurrence of two types of deletions in recombinant phage DNA during propagation in E. coli. The locations and sizes of the two types of deletions are indistinguishable from those of the two types of deletions associated with alpha-thalassemia 2 (Embury et al., 1979; Orkin et al., 1979; S. Embury et al., manuscript submitted). This information strongly suggests that the genetic disease is a consequence of unequal crossing over between homologous sequences within and/or surrounding the two adult alpha-globin genes.

Frequency and quantitative levels of T gamma chain (Hb F Sardinia) in the fetal hemoglobin of newborn and fetuses

The fetal hemoglobin of 137 Dutch newborn has been examined by peptide mapping after digestion with trypsin, in order to detect the T gamma chain (gamma chain bearing a replacement Ile replaced by Thr at position 75) and to assess its quantity relative to the total gamma chains. Forty-two (31%) individuals were carriers of this variant, with an average amount of T gamma chain equal to 18.89% +/- 4.12 (1 SD). Three babies had T gamma levels higher than 30%, outside, therefore, the upper limit of the distribution. If we consider these three children homozygous carriers and assume that the remaining thirty-nine are heterozygotes, the gene frequency of T gamma in this population is 0.16 and the observed frequencies of the three phenotypes (T gamma-/-, T gamma+/- and T gamma +/+) agree closely with the expected ones. The occurrence and levels of T gamma chain are apparently not subject to variations during the last 25 weeks of gestation. In a group of twenty-nine fetuses investigated between the 12th and 20th week gestation, seven were, in fact, positive and showed T gamma percentages (12-26%) within the limits found in newborn. Also, the relative amounts of G gamma and A gamma chains were identical to those calculated in babies born at term. The composition of fetal hemoglobin remains, thus, uniform from the 12th week of gestation to birth. A comparison of the distribution of T gamma and A gamma percentages in T gamma positive newborn supports indirectly the identification of T gamma chain as a polymorphic variant of A gamma chain.