Rapid detection of six common Mediterranean and three non‐Mediterranean α‐thalassemia point mutations by reverse dot blot analysis

We describe the implementation of reverse dot blot (RDB) hybridization as a rapid nonradioactive method for the identification of six frequent globin gene point mutations in the Mediterranean population: alpha(Hph)alpha: alpha2 IVS I donor site GGTGAGG --> GG-----; alpha(NcoI)alpha: alpha2 initiation codon ATG --> ACG; alpha(TSaudi)alpha: alpha2Poly A signal AATAA --> AATAAG; alpha(Icaria)alpha: alpha2 termination codon TAA --> AAA (Ter --> LYS); alpha(CS)alpha: alpha2 termination codon TAA --> CAA (Ter --> gly); alphaalpha(NcoI): alpha1 initiation codon ATG --> GTG; and three alpha2 globin gene point mutations found in immigrants in Italy: alpha(T-Quongsze)alpha: alpha2 codon 12 CTG --> CCG (Leu --> Pro); alpha(Seal Rock)alpha: alpha2 termination codon TAA --> GAA (TER --> GLU); and alpha(Koyadora)alpha: alpha2 termination codon TAA --> TCA (TER --> SER). The method uses the principle of allele-specific oligonucleotide (ASO) hybridization, but it is a nonradioactive method and permits rapid and simultaneous typing of point mutations and small deletions.