DNA polymorphism at the ABO locus in the Chinese population of Hong Kong.

DNA polymorphism at the ABO locus was investigated using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis of polymerase-chain-reaction-amplified DNA products from 315 healthy individuals of the Chinese population of Hong Kong. Five different alleles were identified: ABOO1, O2, A1, A2 and B1. The ABOA2 is a new allele not previously reported in the literature. The allele frequencies found were 0.3698 for O1, 0.2508 for O2, 0.1952 for A1, 0.0159 for A2, and 0.1683 for B1. The Chinese population being investigated was in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. The genotyping method identifies many more alleles in the ABO locus and thus makes it a more useful genetic marker in linkage analysis, paternity testing and individualization in forensic work than when the locus is genotyped using conventional DNA-based methods or phenotyped using serological methods.