A. Rando

Expression of triplicated and quadruplicated α globin genes in sheep

Summary. In the sheep ααα globin gene haplotype, the three genes display from the 5′ to the 3′ end the percentage efficiencies of about 30:14:6, as indicated by the amounts of the three types of α chain produced in the ααα/ααα homozygotes. The 3′ gene in the αααα haplotype appears to have an efficiency around 1%, as suggested by analysis of one quadruple a homozygote. Moreover, the total outputs of the ααα as well as of the αααα haplotypes do not substantially differ from that of the common αα haplotype.

Restriction fragment length polymorphism in the 3′ flanking region of the rabbit β1-globin gene

By Southern blot analysis, a restriction fragment length polymorphism in the 3′ flanking region of the rabbit β1-globin gene was detected. Two alleles, characterized by 9.7- and 12.4-kb BamHI fragments and by 15.3- and 18.0-kb HindIII fragments, have been detected in a small population of White New Zealand rabbits. The long allele is the most frequent (about 70%). The simultaneous changes in the restriction patterns of the two endonucleases and the constant distance between BamHI and HindIII sites in short and long fragments suggest the possibility that the two alleles arise from a rearrangement phenomenon involving a DNA segment 2.7 kb long. In addition, the presence of the two alleles in individuals genetically unrelated to the White New Zealand breed suggests that this polymorphism is widespread.