A novel I247T missense mutation in the haptoglobin 2 beta-chain decreases the expression of the protein and is associated with ahaptoglobinemia

We have identified a novel base substitution at codon 247 in the beta-chain of the haptoglobin 2 ( Hp(2)) allele in a Ghanaian with the Hp0 (ahaptoglobinemic) phenotype. The heterozygous T-->C substitution caused reduced expression of the protein when the mutant was transfected into COS7 cells. The base substitution resulted in a missense change of the non-polar amino acid isoleucine to the polar amino acid threonine at a position in the beta-chain that is highly conserved among several species. We had previously identified a mutation in the Hp gene promoter region for the same individual, which gives her genotype as -61C Hp(2)/-61C Hp(2)(I247T). Since the -61C mutation also leads to low Hp expression, the genotype represents the first and most definitive ahaptoglobinemic case reported in Africa.