Abstract
On a field trip to the Dogon country (le Pays Dogon) in central Mali, we detected a high frequency of the Hb A2 abnormality, reaching higher numbers among blacksmiths (up to 12.4%) living in the same villages. In this report, by direct nucleotide sequencing and employing a polymerase chain reaction‐restriction fragment length polymorphism approach, we show that the Hb A2 variant observed in the Dogon population is indeed Hb A2′, also called Hb B2, and that in all of the cases the abnormal δ‐globin gene is linked to a unique haplotype. The same haplotype was found linked to Hb A2′ in the Herero population belonging to the South African Bantu‐speaking Blacks from Namibia. Although the unique origin of this mutation in Africa is a possibility, a recurrent mutational event cannot be excluded because the linked β cluster haplotype is one of the two major haplotypes found in all African populations. A study of populations from other regions of Africa is required to clarify this issue.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
