The binding of Ga(III) to the proteolytically derived N-terminal half-molecule of human transferrin (HTF/2N) was studied by proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The pH-dependent titration curves of the histidinyl C(2) proton chemical shifts were altered upon formation of the GaIIIHTF/2N(C2O4) ternary complex. Two high-pK'a histidines failed to titrate when the metal and synergistic anion formed a complex with the protein. These results implicated two histidinyl residues as direct ligands to the metal. The rates of hydrogen-deuterium exchange for the C(2) protons of certain histidinyl residues were substantially decreased by metal ion binding. The two ligand histidines were protected from exchange, and a third, low-pK'a, histidinyl residue was protected. We propose that this third histidinyl residue is involved in anion binding and may serve as the base in the putative proton-relay scheme proposed for complex formation.