Hb Fannin-Lubbock in five Spanish families is characterized by two mutations: beta 111 GTC-->CTC (Val-->Leu) and beta...

We have sequenced the amplified beta-globin genes of five, apparently unrelated, Spanish adults with a fast-moving hemoglobin variant, and observed a GGC-->GAC mutation at codon 119 which identified the abnormality as Hb Fannin-Lubbock or alpha 2 beta (2)119(GH2)Gly-->Asp. In addition, we found a GTC-->CTC change at codon 111 which leads to a Val-->Leu replacement at this location. Protein analysis of the beta A and beta X chains from one of these individuals confirmed that both mutations are located on the same chromosome. It is hypothesized that some other known variants may carry an additional mutation in one of their exons, resulting in a silent amino acid substitution which may have an effect on some physicochemical property. In the case of Hb Fannin-Lubbock, it appears likely that the Val-->Leu replacement at beta 111, rather than the Gly-->Asp replacement of beta 119, is the cause of the instability of the variant. The Hb Fannin-Lubbock variant in these Spanish families had a normal oxygen affinity.