Haemoglobin M Saskatoon and Haemoglobin M Hyde Park in Two Yugoslavian Families

Abstract

A methaemoglobin variant, found in a Yugoslavian family and termed previously Hb‐M‐Novi Sad, has been identified as Hb‐M‐Saskatoon (α 2 β 2 G3(E7)Tyr) . 4 members of a second Yugoslavian family also had Hb‐M disease but chemical analyses of this variant showed it was the same as Hb‐M‐Hyde Park (α 2 β 2 92(F8)Trr) . Subjects with either type of Hb‐M show signs of a mild haernolytic anaemia, and inclusion bodies were found in subjects with Hb‐M‐Saskatoon. Hb‐M‐Saskatoon cannot be separated from Hb‐A by electrophoresis at alkaline pH whereas Hb‐M‐Hyde Park has a mobility slightly different from that of Hb‐Az. Both variants can be isolated by anion exchange chromatography, and dissociate readily into dimers at pH 10.1. The haeme‐globin ratio of both Hb‐M variants is decreased. Isolated Hb‐M‐Saskatoon and Hb‐M‐Hyde Park contained about 30 to 40 % less haeme.