Background:
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The epsilon globin gene (HBE) is normally expressed in the embryonic yolk sac: two epsilon chains together with two zeta chains (an alpha-like globin) constitute the embryonic hemoglobin Hb Gower I; two epsilon chains together with two alpha chains form the embryonic Hb Gower II. Both of these embryonic hemoglobins are normally supplanted by fetal, and later, hemoglobin. The five beta-like globin genes are found within a 45 kb cluster on chromosome 11 in the following order: 5'-epsilon - G-gamma - A-gamma - delta - beta-3'.
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