The DNA sequence of a naturally occurring alcohol dehydrogenase null activity allele, AdhnAC14, has eight extra nucleotides (in two groups of four) in the second intron, commencing six bases 3' from the 5' splice site. A stop codon was also found in exon 2. S1 nuclease protection experiments have shown that the insertions in intron 2 disrupt the correct splicing of intron 2. The null allele produces a transcript approximately 100 bases longer than the normal mature adult transcript, and the amount of the null allele transcript is only about 10% of the normal level.