Hyperunstable hemoglobin Toyama [alpha 2 136(H19)Leu----Arg beta 2]: detection and identification by in vitro biosynthesis with radioactive amino acids.

A previously reported case of congenital Heinz body anemia was reinvestigated. Heat denaturation, isopropanol testing, PCMB precipitation, isoelectricfocusing, and reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography on the red cell lysate from the patient gave either negative, or at most, questionable results. In vitro globin biosynthesis using peripheral blood with incorporation of 3H-leucine demonstrated the production of an abnormal alpha chain at the rate of about 1/3 that of the normal alpha chain. A substitution, alpha 136(H19)Leu----Arg, was elucidated by peptide mapping and radiosequencing of an abnormal tryptic peptide. The hemoglobin consisting of the abnormal alpha and normal beta chains eluted between Hb A2 and Hb A0 in anion exchange high performance liquid chromatography. It was barely detectable by this method, comprising less than 1/1000 of the amount of Hb A0, although it was produced at a level of 1/3 of that of HB A0 in terms of radioactivity. The daughter of the propositus was similarly afflicted and produced the same abnormal alpha chain. The son, who also produced the abnormal alpha chain, was essentially free from hemolytic manifestation. His red cells were microcytic and showed an alpha/beta synthetic ratio of over 2.