Abstract
THE two types of γ chain in human foetal haemoglobin (HbF) are the products of nonallelic structural genes and have either glycine (Gγ type) or alanine (Aγ type) in position 136 (ref. 1). Although the examination of 108 cord blood samples from worldwide sources showed 102 to have a Gγ : Aγ ratio within a relatively narrow range, one had a low ratio and five a high ratio2. It seemed possible that analytical error was responsible for these extreme values. But as we studied cord blood from normal black babies of residents from Burke County, Georgia, where an abnormal HbF (designated FX (ref. 3)) has been detected repeatedly, we observed high ratios in further samples. The present study of almost 700 cord bloods has detected the high Gγ : Aγ ratio in about 7.5% of samples from black newborns as compared with perhaps 0.5% from Caucasian infants.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Schroeder, W. A., et al., Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., 60, 537–544 (1968).
Schroeder, W. A., et al., Nature, New Biol., 240, 273–274 (1972).
Huisman, T. H. J., Schroeder, W. A., Bannister, W. H., and Grech, J. L., Biochem. Genet., 7, 131–139 (1972).
Huisman, T. H. J., et al., Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci., 165, 320–331 (1969).
Betke, K., Marti, H., and Schlicht, I., Nature, 184, 1877–1878 (1959).
Efremov, G. D., and Huisman, T. H. J., Clinics in Haematology, 3, 527–570 (1974).
Old, J., et al., Cell, 8, 13–18 (1976).
Huisman, T. H. J., et al., Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci., 232, 107–124 (1974).
Schroeder, W. A., et al., Pediat. Res., 5, 493–499 (1971).
Huisman, T. H. J., et al., Pediat. Res., 9, 1–6 (1975).
Huisman, T. H. J., et al., Clin. chim. Acta, 38, 5–16 (1972).
Schroeder, W. A., and Huisman, T. H. J., Proc. First natn. Symp. Sickle Cell Disease, DHEW Publication No. (NIH) 75–723, 261 (Department of Health, Education and Welfare, Washington DC, 1975).
Ricco, G., et al., Human Genet., 32, 305–313 (1976).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
HUISMAN, T., SCHROEDER, W., FELICE, A. et al. Anomaly in the γ chain heterogeneity of the newborn. Nature 265, 63–65 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1038/265063a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/265063a0
This article is cited by
-
The ?-chain heterogeneity of haemoglobin F in German infants
European Journal of Pediatrics (1989)
-
Polymorphisms of human γ-globin genes in Mediterranean populations
Nature (1979)
-
The chemical heterogeneity of the fetal hemoglobin in normal newborn infants and in adults
Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry (1977)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.