(delta beta) zero thalassemia of the Southern Italian type. Its geographical origin and interaction with the sickle cell gene

Molecular identification of Sicilian (deltabeta) degrees-thalassemia associated with beta-thalassemia and hemoglobin S in Brazil

We describe the clinical and molecular characteristics of two unrelated Brazilian families with an association of the Sicilian form of (deltabeta) degrees -thalassemia with hemoglobin S and beta-thalassemia. Direct sequencing of the beta-globin gene showed only the hemoglobin S mutation in patient 1 and the beta-thalassemia IVS1-110 in patient 2. The other allele was deleted in both patients and PCR of DNA samples of the breakpoint region of both patients showed a band of approximately 1,150 bp, expected to be observed in the DNA of carriers of Sicilian (deltabeta) degrees -thalassemia. The nucleotide sequence of this fragment confirmed the Sicilian deletion. There are few reports concerning the Hb S/(deltabeta) degrees -thalassemia association and patient 2 is the first reported case of Sicilian type of (deltabeta) degrees -thalassemia in association with beta-thalassemia documented at the molecular level.

Implications of rDNA technology in the microbiology laboratory

The present and potential future roles in service and research microbiological laboratories of recombinant DNA (rDNA) techniques (nucleic acid hybridization, nucleic acid amplification, in situ hybridization, pulsed field gel electrophoresis) are described. Applications rDNA technology include the detection of micro-organisms; an approach to the understanding of their role in disease pathogenesis and provision of alternative strategies for studying the epidemiology of infectious diseases.

Thai (delta beta)0-thalassemia and its interaction with gamma-thalassemia

A variant of Southern Italian (delta beta)0-thalassemia is described in a women of Thai origin. The 3' breakpoint in Thai (delta beta)0-thalassemia is located about 1 kb upstream to that in Southern Italian (delta beta)0-thalassemia and produces a smaller deletion of approximately equal to 12.5 kb. Hematological phenotype, particularly Hb F output, is similar to that found in G gamma A gamma(delta beta)0-thalassemia despite the presence of a coexistent gamma-thalassemia effect.