Re-evaluation of the presence of multiple haemoglobins during the ontogeny of the mouse.

In mice, three alleles, Hbbs, Hbbd and Hbbp, have been found at the beta-chain locus of haemoglobin. Analytical polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis revealed the presence of almost the same four haemoglobin bands (E-I, E-II, E-III and X) in all of the lysates of peripheral blood cells from 12-day-old foetuses of C57BL/6J (Hbbs), A/He (Hbbd) and PON (Hbbp). All were embryonic-type haemoglobins; the most anodal band (X) seemed to be a product of polymerization of E-I. Electrophoretic patterns of the haemolysates from 12-day-old foetuses were not affected by alkylation with iodoacetamide or maleic anhydride. Almost the same electrophoretic patterns in subunit analysis, using acid starch and acid-urea polyacrylamide gels, were obtained in 12-day-old foetuses of C57BL/6J, A/He and PON. E-I comprised alphia and x-chains, E-II, alpha- and y-chains, and E-III, alpha- and z-chains. In adults, two haemoglobin bands, s and Y, were present in the haemolysate of C57BL/6J, while three, dmaj, dmin and Y, existed in A/He, and three, pmaj, pmin and Y, in PON. All were adult-type haemoglobins. Haemoglobin Y, which was not demonstrable after alkylation of the haemolysates, seemed to be a product of polymerization of major haemoglobins (s, dmaj and pmaj). Each haemoglobin possessed common alpha-chains, while the beta-chains of major haemoglobins were different from those of minor haemoglobins. Developmental changes of the haemolysates from foetuses of C57BL/6J, A/He and PON were similar to each other. Haemolysates of the liver cells of developing foetuses contained only adult-type haemoglobins. Our techniques used here were not able to demonstrate the presence of foetal-type haemoglobins.