Linkage Studies of Genes for Sickling and MNS Blood Groups: Negative Findings

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Abstract
An analysis of 55 Negro families comprising 325 individuals was undertaken in an effort to detect genetic linkage between the gene for sickling of erythrocytes and genes for MN, and S blood groups. Finney''s method for the detection of linkage was used throughout and the findings kindly confirmed by Drs. R. R. Race and Ruth Sanger using the u-statistics of Fisher. By the Finney method, 17 of the 55 families were usable for the analysis of linkage between sickling and MN. Total score, [SIGMA]([lambda]) of -2 was obtained with a variance of score, [SIGMA]([KAPPA]), of 51. Hence, since [SIGMA] ([KAPPA]) = -2, is less than 1.64"[image] = 11.71 no linkage between sickling and MN is indicated. By similar methods no linkage could be demonstrated between sickling and S, although in this instance only 5 families were usable. Linkage was demonstrated between MN and S, but here again only 5 families were usable. The above findings are contrary to those of Snyder and others whose studies have indicated a linkage between MN and sickling and tend to fit in with the very considerable evidence for linkage of MN and S in Caucasians.