An Alu-mediated large deletion of the FUT2 gene in individuals with the ABO-Bombay phenotype

Recently, we have found an allelic deletion of the secretor α(1,2)fucosyltransferase (FUT2) gene in individuals with the classical Bombay phenotype of the ABO system. The FUT2 gene consists of two exons separated by an intron that spans approximately 7 kb. The first exon is noncoding, whereas exon 2 contains the complete coding sequence. Since the 5' breakpoint of the deletion has previously been mapped to the single intron of FUT2, we have cloned the junction region of the deletion in a Bombay individual by cassette-mediated polymerase chain reaction. In addition, the region from the 3' untranslated region of FUT2 to the 3' breakpoint sequence has been amplified from a control individual. DNA sequence analysis of this region indicates that the 5' breakpoint is within a free left Alu monomer (FLAM-C) sequence that lies 1.3 kb downstream of exon 1, and that the 3' breakpoint is within a complete Alu element (AluSx) that is positioned 1.5 kb downstream of exon 2. The size of the deletion is estimated to be about 10 kb. There is a 25-bp sequence identity between the reference DNA sequences surrounding the 5' and 3' breakpoints. This demonstrates that an Alu-mediated large gene deletion generated by unequal crossover is responsible for secretor α(1,2)fucosyltransferase deficiency in Indian Bombay individuals.