Hb Cardarelli [beta86(F2)Ala-->Pro]: a new unstable and hyperaffine variant in association with beta(+)-thalassemia.

Hb Cardarelli [beta86(F2)Ala-->Pro] is a new unstable and high oxygen affinity variant found in several members of a family from Naples, Southern Italy. A detailed structural and functional characterization of the variant was performed on two subjects, at both the protein and DNA level. The first patient exhibited 43% of the variant hemoglobin (Hb) without major hematological problems.