Human fetal globin DNA sequences suggest novel conversion event.

DNA sequencing studies of two recently cloned human A gamma globin alleles has revealed a number of base differences which are clustered in the large intron (IVS-2). One allele has a previously undescribed IVS-2 sequence. Most of the allelic differences can be explained as resulting from a gene conversion event involving G gamma as a donor. A novel feature of this event is that three G gamma-like regions occur interspersed among unconverted areas of the A gamma gene. We propose that an alternating purine-pyrimidine run which is located between two of the converted sites is the initiation site of the conversion event. Consistent with models of gene conversion, this poly (purine-pyrimidine) tract has single-stranded characteristics in supercoiled plasmids as assayed by S1-nuclease.