Studies on human red-cell membrane glycophorin A and glycophorin B genes in glycophorin-deficient individuals.

1. Genomic DNA derived from individuals who lack glycophorin A (GPA), glycophorin B (GPB) or both of these proteins was subjected to Southern-blot analysis using GPA and GPB cDNA probes. 2. Bands on the Southern blots were assigned to the GPA gene, GPB gene or to a putative pseudogene. 3. Genomic DNA derived from an individual of the Mk phenotype was shown to have deletions in the GPA and GPB genes. The simplest model for the results obtained is that a single deletion spans the GPA and GPB genes in the individual studied.