Structural variation in the alleles of a short tandem repeat system at the human alpha fibrinogen locus

Int J Legal Med. 1996;108(4):180-5. doi: 10.1007/BF01369788.

Abstract

This paper reports the sequences of 22 alleles identified at the HumFGA (human alpha fibrinogen) short tandem repeat locus in the British Caucasian and Afro-Caribbean populations. Alleles at the lower end of the observed size range were found to increase in size by 4-bp increments with the repeat unit following the pattern TC(TCTT)n. However, 5 alleles were identified that differed in size by 2 bp from the 4 bp increment as a result of the deletion of a TC dinucleotide, or the addition of a TT dinucleotide, immediately prior to the 1st repeat unit. Alleles at the upper end of the observed size range were found to have a more complex repeat unit structure and also exhibited duplication of both 5' and 3' flanking sequences. A nomenclature for the designation of HumFGA alleles is proposed on the basis of this sequence data.

MeSH terms

  • Base Sequence
  • Black People / genetics
  • Chromosomes, Human, Pair 4
  • DNA Fingerprinting*
  • Humans
  • Information Systems
  • London
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Repetitive Sequences, Nucleic Acid*
  • Terminology as Topic
  • White People / genetics