Genetic variation of haemoglobin α‐ and βchains in rabbits detected by iso electric focusing and reversed‐phase chromatography

Summary Previous studies on the amino acid sequences and on the amino acid composition of peptides revealed genetic polymorphism both of the haemoglobin α‐chain (Hbα) and β‐chain (Hbβ) in rabbits. In this study, rabbit haemolysates were analysed by isoelectric focusing in a narrow pH range (6.7–7.7) and by reversed‐phase chromatography. Two variants were found for both Hbα and Hbβ. The two methods detected the same variants in this material. Inheritance data were consistent with the hypothesis that the observed Hbα and Hbβ variants were each controlled by two codominant, auto somal alleles. Haemoglobin polymorphism appears to be frequent in domestic rabbits since both variants of each chain were observed in all the three breeds studied.