Hb Graz or alpha 2 beta 2(2)(NA2)His-->Leu; a new beta chain variant observed in four families from southern Austria.

Two abnormal hemoglobins were accidentally detected by cation exchange high performance liquid chromatography with the Diamat system of Bio-Rad Laboratories; the variants eluted together with the fast-moving Hb A1c. Structural analysis of isolated beta chains and sequence analysis of amplified DNA identified a new variant, i.e. Hb Graz that has a His-->Leu replacement at position 2 of the beta chain, in four healthy, apparently unrelated, adults. The second variant was identical to Hb Sherwood Forest or alpha 2 beta 2(104)(G6)Arg-->Thr; it is believed that this may be the second observation of this abnormal hemoglobin.