Complete Sequence of the γ Chain from the Fetal Hemoglobin of the Baboon,Papio cynocephalus

Abstract

The amino acid sequence of the Hb .gamma. chain from a baboon, P. cynocephalus, was determined by automated sequencing of the intact chain and 6 fragments generated by specific cleavage reactions. The existence of structural heterogeneity at position 75, where valyl and isoleucyl residues were found, was suggestive of the presence of nonallelic V.gamma.- and I.gamma.-chain genes in this species and further emphasized the extent to which the genetic basis of Hb production among many higher primates is similar. Comparison of the sequences of those .gamma. chains from Homo sapiens, Pan troglodytes, Macaca nemestrina and P. cynocephalus that were well characterized attests to the conservative nature of .gamma.-chain evolution among the Anthropoidea, the differences in sequence between any 2 of these chains ranging from none (between the A.gamma.- and G.gamma.-chains of P. troglodytes and H. sapiens) to no more than 5 (between the V.gamma. chains of P. cynocephalus and the A.gamma.-chains of H. sapiens).