OBJECTIVEThis is a study on the allele composing of ABO, FUT1 and FUT2 gene loci of 10 para-Bombay individuals in China.

METHODSTen samples coming from different districts of China were suspected of para-Bombay phenotype by primary serology tests. Routine and absorb-elution tests were conducted to identify their ABO type, and duplex polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) was applied to getting their ABO genotype. Most of them were submitted to a test of their Lewis type as well. Then through direct DNA sequencing with PCR products of FUT1 and FUT2 genes, the genotypes of their H and SE gene loci were analyzed.

RESULTSIt can be confirmed that the 10 samples are para-Bombay. All of their ABO genotypes are consistent with the serological absorb-elution results and the substances detected results in saliva. Seven out of 10 have recessive homozygous gene at their H locus. Each phenotype of h1h1 (nt547-552Deltaag), h2h2 (nt880-882Deltatt) and h4h4 (nt35 t-->c) are ascertained in 2 individuals; moreover, h3h3 (nt 658 c-->t) is identified in one individual. The rest are hh heterozygous individuals: one is h3/h(new-1); the other is h2/h(new-2); the last one is h1/h2. The h(new-1) (nt586 c-->t) allele has a point mutation at nt 586 C to T, which leads a nonsense mutation Gln(CAG) to stop (TAG).The second h (new-2) (nt328 g-->a) has an nt328 G to A missense mutation,which leads Ala (GCC),was replaced by Thr (ACC) at 110 amino acid position. All the 10 samples have Se (nt357 c-->t) synonymous mutation. One Bm(h) (B/O) individual with h4h4 phenotype has a Se(w)(nt357 c-->t; nt385 a-->t) allele, whose Lewis type is Le(a+b+). Moreover, the authors detected a (nt716 g-->a) mutation in two samples' Se gene.

CONCLUSIONFour kinds of known h alleles (h1-h4), 2 kinds of novel non-functional FUT1 alleles, a Se(w) allele, and a novel SeG716A polymorphism in Chinese para-Bombay individuals were detected. At the same time, the authors noticed that all the 10 samples have the nt357 c-->t mutation in their FUT2 gene.