beta-globin gene haplotypes and alpha-thalassemia analysis in Babinga pygmies from Congo-Brazzaville

We analyzed beta-globin gene cluster haplotypes and deletional alpha(+)-tha lassemia (-alpha(3.7kb)) in 54 Babinga pygmy subjects from Congo-Brazzavill e. The beta(S)-globin gene frequency was 0.065 and that of the deletional a lpha-globin gene (-alpha(3.7kb)) was 0.29. Eighty-five percent of the beta( S) chromosomes and 13% of the beta(A) chromosomes were associated with the Bantu haplotype, 10% of beta(A) chromosomes with the Senegal haplotype, and the remaining beta chromosomes with atypical haplotypes, None of the chrom osomes were of the Benin haplotype, These results are clearly of anthropolo gical and evolutionary interest. They also support earlier observations tha t alpha(+)-thalassemia is prevalent at a high frequency in African populati ons.