Abstract
There have been claims that the minor hemoglobin A2 in some primates is functionally and adaptively less vital than hemoglobin A (Boyer et al., 1971). These claims are criticized on several grounds, and evidence suggesting that selection acts on hemoglobin A2 is reviewed. An estimate is made of the proportion of mutations in the α, β, γ, and δ genes that could be expected to be selectively neutral. Evidence is presented that the α gene is better buffered from the effects of mutation than is the β gene and that δ is better buffered than β, although quantitatively the latter difference is very small.
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Day, T.H. Is hemoglobin A2 important?. Biochem Genet 8, 403–411 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00487345
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00487345