RESUMO

We describe the characterization of a novel 7.9 kb deletion that eliminated one of the duplicated alpha-globin genes, causing an alpha+-thalassaemia phenotype in two independent carriers of Suriname-Indian origin. The molecular characterization of the deletion breakpoint fragment revealed neither involvement of Alu repeat sequences nor the presence of homologous regions prone to recombination, suggesting a non-homologous recombination event. This alpha+-thalassaemia deletion was found to give rise to an atypical haemoglobin H (HbH) disease characterized by a non-transfusion-dependent moderate microcytic hypochromic anaemia in combination with a poly adenylation signal mutation of the alpha-globin gene (alpha2 AATAAA --> AATA-- --).

Assuntos

Deleção de Genes , Globinas/genética , Talassemia alfa/genética , Adulto , Southern Blotting , Criança , Feminino , Humanos , Hibridização In Situ , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Países Baixos , Suriname/etnologia