Haemoglobin types in Norwegian horses.

This research paper studies different haemoglobin (Hb) types in Norwegian horses. The authors use chromatographic techniques to identify six common Hb types and explain their cause as a variation due to substitution of two different types of amino acids in the alpha chain of Hb.

Objective of the Research

• The main objective of this study was to investigate the different haemoglobin types in Norwegian horses. This was achieved through analysis of the Hb’s alpha chain mutations.

Previous Studies

• Previous studies have found three types of Hb in horses, with some horses exhibiting only one Hb component and others two. These differences were denoted by the ratio between the two Hb components.
• Braend’s (1967) research further classified the two Hb component horses into two categories, based on the ratio of the two components: 60:40 and 80:20.

Present Research Methodology

• To distinguish between the different types of Hb, Clegg (1970) introduced the use of chromatographic techniques. This analysis revealed six commonly occurring Hb types in Norwegian horses.
• The cause of these Hb types were explained as positional substitutions of the amino acids tyrosine with phenylalanine and glutamine with lysine, specifically at positions 24 and 60 respectively, in the alpha chain of the Hb molecule.
• These Hb types were attributed to the existence of two closely linked alpha-chain genes and three different haplotypes named A, BI and BII.

Findings and Conclusion

• The use of isoelectric focusing, a technique for separating different molecules, by Kitchen et al. (1975) helped in differentiating between these six Hb types.
• The findings from this study provide valuable insights into the genetic variations and the structure of Haemoglobin in Norwegian horses. This can be helpful in understanding horse genetics and potential blood-related diseases.