objective(s): iran is considered as one of the high-prevalence areas for β-thalassemia with a rate of about 10% carrier frequency. molecular diagnosis of the disease is performed both by direct sequencing and indirectly by the use of polymorphic markers present in the beta globin gene cluster. however, to date there is no reliable information on the application of the markers in the iranian pop...

The human b-globin gene complex spans a region of 70 kb and contains numerous sequence variants. These variant sites form a 58 cluster (58 b-haplotype) and a 38 cluster (38 b-haplotype) with strong linkage disequilibrium among the sites within each cluster, but not between the two clusters. The 9-kb region between the 58 and 38 clusters has been estimated to have rates of recombination that are...

The human beta-globin gene complex spans a region of 70 kb and contains numerous sequence variants. These variant sites form a 5' cluster (5' beta-haplotype) and a 3' cluster (3' beta-haplotype) with strong linkage disequilibrium among the sites within each cluster, but not between the two clusters. The 9-kb region between the 5' and 3' clusters has been estimated to have rates of recombination...

The determination of long segments of DNA sequences encompassing the beta- and alpha-globin gene clusters has provided an unprecedented data base for analysis of genome evolution and regulation of gene clusters. A newly developed computer tool kit generates local alignments between such long sequences in a space-efficient manner, helps the user analyze the alignments effectively, and finds cons...

Background: In the previous study, we have shown that the presence of A allele at position -588 in Aγ-globin gene was highly frequent and closely associated with fetal hemoglobin elevation among β-thalassemia intermedia patients. Therefore, we decided to investigate whether this allele (A allele at -588) could result in an increase in Aγ-globin gene expression to ameliorate the severity of the ...

We have identified the first gene lying on the centromeric side of the alpha-globin gene cluster on human 16p13.3. The gene, called 16pHQG;16 (HGMW-approved symbol LUC7L), is widely transcribed and lies in the opposite orientation with respect to the alpha-globin genes. This gene may represent a mammalian heterochromatic gene, encoding a putative RNA-binding protein similar to the yeast Luc7p s...

Globin gene switching is a well-described model of eucaryotic developmental control. In the case of the human alpha-globin gene cluster, migration of erythropoietic activity from the embryonic yolk sac to the fetal liver is parallaled by the zeta-globin gene silencing and enhanced expression of the alpha-globin genes. To map critical cis determinants of this switch, the human zeta-globin gene, ...

In mammals, the complex tissue- and developmental-specific expression of genes within the β-globin cluster is known to be subject to control by the gene promoters, by a locus control region (LCR) located upstream of the cluster, and by sequence elements located across the intergenic regions. Despite extensive investigation, however, the complement of sequences that is required for normal regula...

Human hemoglobin genes are located in α and β globin gene clusters in chromosomes 16 and 11, respectively. Different types of hemoglobin are synthesized according to the stage of development with fetal hemoglobin (α(2)γ(2)) (Hb F) being the main hemoglobin in the fetal period. After birth, there is a reduction (to about 1%) in Hb F levels and adult hemoglobin, Hb A (2α(2)β(2)), increases to mor...

background: in the previous study, we have shown that the presence of a allele at position -588 in aγ-globin gene was highly frequent and closely associated with fetal hemoglobin elevation among β-thalassemia intermedia patients. therefore, we decided to investigate whether this allele (a allele at -588) could result in an increase in aγ-globin gene expression to ameliorate the severity of the ...