Beschreibung:
<jats:p>
Anemia causes a change in the type of circulating hemoglobin in goats and certain sheep: HbA (α
<jats:sub>2</jats:sub>
β
<jats:sub>2</jats:sub>
<jats:sup>A</jats:sup>
) is replaced by HbC (α
<jats:sub>2</jats:sub>
β
<jats:sub>2</jats:sub>
<jats:sup>C</jats:sup>
). We have isolated globin mRNA from erythroid cells of anemic and nonanemic animals to investigate the mechanism whereby anemia causes this switch. To study several stages in transition from β
<jats:sup>A</jats:sup>
to β
<jats:sup>C</jats:sup>
synthesis, active globin mRNA was isolated from bone marrow cells, as well as from reticulocytes. By assaying these globin mRNAs in a rabbit reticulocyte cell-free system, we have demonstrated that the switch from β
<jats:sup>A</jats:sup>
to β
<jats:sup>C</jats:sup>
globin synthesis is mediated via a change in functional globin mRNA.
</jats:p>