Allosteric mechanism of haemoglobin: rupture of salt-bridges raises the oxygen affinity of the T-structure.

Abstract excerpt

The T-structure of human haemoglobin is linked by salt-bridges between its four subunits, formed by the C-terminal arginine residues of the alpha-subunits and the C-terminal histidine residues of the beta-subunits. In the R-structure, these salt-bridges are absent. The oxygen affinity of the T-structure is lower than that of the R-structure by the equivalent of 3.5 kcal/mol haem. This difference has been...

Topics

• Allosteric Regulation
• Bezafibrate
• Chlorides
• Hemoglobins
• Hemoglobins, Abnormal
• Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
• Microscopy, Polarization
• Mutation
• Oxygen
• Partial Pressure
• Protein Binding