In Caucasoids HLA-DQB1 genes encoding amino acids other than aspartic acid at position 57 of the DQ beta chain (non-Asp-57) are associated with susceptibility to develop insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM), while resistance is associated with aspartic acid at this residue (Asp-57). Following amplification of genomic DNA by the polymerase chain reaction, the DQB1 alleles of 87 random Norwegian IDDM patients and 187 healthy controls were investigated with 11 different sequence-specific oligonucleotide probes. Of these patients 82% carried DQB1 alleles encoding non-Asp-57 at both of their DQ beta chains, compared to 27% of the controls (relative risk = 12.2, p less than 0.0001). Sixteen percent of the patients (versus 51% of the controls) were heterozygous Asp-57/non-Asp-57. Two percent of the patients (22% of the controls) were apparently Asp-57 homozygous. The results demonstrate that non-Asp-57 DQ beta chains are associated with susceptibility to develop IDDM but also indicate that the protection associated with DQ beta Asp-57 may not be as dominant as reported by others.