Certain individuals with mild forms ofβ-thalassemia produce, in addition to normal adulthemoglobin with two α chains and two β chains,lower levels of an unusual, so-called Leporehemoglobin with two α chains and two chains ineach of which the N-terminal half comes from anormal δ chain and the C-terminal half comesfrom a normal β chain. Certain other individualswho are asymptomatic produce a different, unusualanti-Lepore hemoglobin that contains two α chainsand two chains in which the N-terminal half comesfrom a normal β chain and the C-terminal halfcomes from a normal δ chain.a. Describe an event that could give rise to bothLepore and anti-Lepore hemoglobins.b. Are the mildly thalassemic individuals with Leporehemoglobin homozygotes or heterozygotes for theunusual allele?c. Why might these mildly thalassemic people produce less Lepore hemoglobin than normal adulthemoglobin?
Certain individuals with mild forms of
β-thalassemia produce, in addition to normal adult
hemoglobin with two α chains and two β chains,
lower levels of an unusual, so-called Lepore
hemoglobin with two α chains and two chains in
each of which the N-terminal half comes from a
normal δ chain and the C-terminal half comes
from a normal β chain. Certain other individuals
who are asymptomatic produce a different, unusual
anti-Lepore hemoglobin that contains two α chains
and two chains in which the N-terminal half comes
from a normal β chain and the C-terminal half
comes from a normal δ chain.
a. Describe an event that could give rise to both
Lepore and anti-Lepore hemoglobins.b. Are the mildly thalassemic individuals with Lepore
hemoglobin homozygotes or heterozygotes for the
unusual allele?
c. Why might these mildly thalassemic people produce less Lepore hemoglobin than normal adult
hemoglobin?
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