Polymorphism of feline beta-globins studied by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography.
OBJECTIVE
To characterize the feline beta-globin system with respect to the number and genetics of adult beta-globin chains.


METHODS
84 domestic and purebred cats (9 breeds), 14 cats were mildly to severely anemic. For genetic analyses, 12 litters with 1 to 5 offspring for a total of 29 kittens.


METHODS
Feline globins from erythrocyte lysates were separated by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography and analyzed on the basis of retention time and area of each beta-globin peak. Mixing studies with half the amount of hemoglobin (Hb) from 2 cats were performed to assign the beta-globin peaks in each cat. The Hb from 60 cats were also separated by standard isoelectric focusing methods.


RESULTS
Heme and alpha- and beta-globins were effectively separated by high-performance liquid chromatography. Although there was only 1 alpha-globin, a total of 6 beta-globins (I through VI) were identified, with each cat having 1 to 4 beta-globin chains. From analysis of the number of beta-globins, their relative amounts, and Hb mixing studies, 17 beta-globin patterns were observed. The beta-globin pattern in healthy and anemic cats was identical. Family studies documented an autosomal codominant mode of inheritance of the adult beta-globins and a linkage of 2 beta-chains forming haplotypes.


CONCLUSIONS
Biochemical and genetic evidence for the greatest polymorphism of adult beta-globins thus far described in any species is provided. A feline beta-globin gene region with 2 linked beta-globin gene loci and 2 and 5 alleles is proposed.


CONCLUSIONS
Better understanding of feline Hb will likely be helpful for diagnosis of hemoglobinopathies in anemic cats.
Kohn
B
B
Section of Medical Genetics, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia 19104-6010, USA.
Reilly
M P
MP
Asakura
T
T
Giger
U
U
D000483:Alleles; D000818:Animals; D000829:Animals, Domestic; D001947:Breeding; D002415:Cats / Q000235:genetics*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000379:methods; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000737:chemistry; D005914:Globins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006418:Heme / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006461:Hemolysis; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic
D006418:Heme; D005914:Globins