How can the use of MST II and southern blot confirm a diagnosis of sickle cell anemia sickle cell trait and normal hemoglobin?

MST II (Mst II restriction enzyme) and Southern blotting can be used to confirm a diagnosis of sickle cell anemia, sickle cell trait, and normal hemoglobin by analyzing the specific mutations in the β-globin gene. In sickle cell anemia, the presence of the mutation that causes the substitution of valine for glutamic acid at the sixth position of the β-globin chain can be detected, while sickle cell trait will show both mutated and normal alleles. Southern blotting allows for the visualization of these genotypes by separating DNA fragments that have undergone restriction enzyme digestion. By comparing the patterns of bands on the blot, one can determine the presence of the sickle cell mutation and differentiate between the various conditions.