Detection of beta-thalassemia and hemoglobin E genes in Thai by a DNA amplification technique.

Enzymatic DNA amplification and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, which demonstrate different sizes of DNA fragments, were used to detect the common mutations causing beta-thalassemia and hemoglobin (Hb) E in Thai people. The 4-bp deletion at codons 41 and 42 can be detected directly by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and ethidium bromide staining. Whereas the nonsense mutations at codon 17 (AAG----TAG) and Hb E (GAG----AAG at codon 26) were detected after digestion of the amplified DNA with the enzymes MaeI and MnlI, respectively.