Molecular characterization of Italian chromosomes carrying the Lepore Boston gene |
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| Authors: | C Camaschella A Serra M T Bertero E Gottardi A Alfarano D Revello M Travi M Seia L Cremonesi M Ferrari |
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| Institution: | Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche ed Oncologia Umana, Università di Torino, Italia. |
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| Abstract: | Hemoglobin Lepore Boston is characterized by abnormal non-alpha-chains that are the product of a fusion delta beta gene originated from an unequal crossing over between misaligned delta and beta genes. The investigation of the restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLP) of the beta-globin gene cluster in 18 Italian Lepore Boston chromosomes indicates that the hybrid gene is linked to two RFLP patterns. The majority of chromosomes show a pattern which corresponds to haplotype V and a minority to haplotype I according to Orkin's classification. A single Hb Lepore Boston homozygote was homozygous for haplotype V. The two haplotypes differ only for a single site 3' to the beta cluster. Our data allow the speculation that in Italy the Lepore Boston gene might be the result of multiple recombination events. |
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