BLOOD GROUP, Ss

Ss blood group antigens reside on the red-cell glycoprotein GYPB. The S and s antigens result from a polymorphism at amino acid 29 of GYPB, where S has met29 and s has thr29. The U antigen refers to a short extracellular sequence in GYPB located near the membrane. GYPB, glycophorin A (GYPA; 617922), and glycophorin E (GYPE; 138590) are closely linked on chromosome 4q31. Antigens of the MN blood group (111300) reside on GYPA. The M and N antigens differ at amino acids 1 and 5 of GYPA, where M is ser-ser-thr-thr-gly, and N is leu-ser-thr-thr-glu. The N terminus of GYPB is essentially identical to that of GYPA except that it always expresses the N antigen, denoted 'N' or N-prime. Recombination and gene conversion between GYPA, GYPB, and GYPE lead to hybrid glycophorin molecules and generation of low-incidence antigens. Thus, the MN and Ss blood groups are together referred to as the MNSs blood group system (see 111300). Recombination results in 3 glycophorin-null phenotypes: En(a-) cells lack GYPA due to recombination between GYPA and GYPB; GYPB-negative (S-s-U-) cells lack GYPB due to recombination in GYPB; and M(k) cells (M-N-S-s-U-) lack both GYPA and GYPB due to recombination between GYPA and GYPE. Individuals with glycophorin-null phenotypes have decreased sialic acid content and increased resistance to malarial infection (see 611162). GYPA and GYPB are not essential for red-cell development or survival, and GYPA- and GYPB-null phenotypes are not associated with anemia or altered red-cell function (review by Cooling, 2015). [from OMIM]