Structural analysis o f theαchain of the hemoglobin from a Caucasian female with a mild hemolytic anemia showed the presence of a variant with a Val→Met substitution at positionα62. The valine at this position forms one o f the contacts with heme and its replacement by methionine will likely decrease heme binding and cause adistortion of the heme crevice and a decreased stability of the abnormal protein. Dot-blot analysis of amplified DNA with32P-labeled synthetic oligonucleotide probes confirmed the suspected G→A mutation in the first position of codon 62, and also located the mutation in theα2-globin gene. The mutation was found in the proposita and one of her daughters but was most probably absent in her parents.