Hemoglobins with multiple reactive sulphydryl groups: the reaction of pigeon hemoglobin with 5,5'-dithiobis (2-nitrobenzoic acid). 1993

K O Okonjo, and T O Okia
Department of Chemistry, University of Ibadan, Nigeria.

Pigeon hemoglobin has eight reactive sulphydryl groups per (tetramer) molecule, as determined by Boyer titration with p-chloromercuribenzoate. However, only four of these are titratable with 5,5'-dithiobis(2-nitrobenzoate) under the same experimental conditions. The time course of the reaction of pigeon hemoglobin with 5,5'-dithiobis(2-nitrobenzoate) is biphasic. In the pH range 6-9, the fast phase is between one and two orders of magnitude faster than the slow phase. For the fast phase, kapp, the apparent second-order rate constant, increases monotonously with pH. Quantitative analysis reveals that the reaction of the sulphydryl group responsible for this phase is coupled to the ionization of two groups with pKa values of 6.15 +/- 0.1 and 8.5 +/- 0.1. These pKa values are assigned to HisHC3(146) beta and to the CysF9(93) beta sulphydryl group, respectively. For the slow phase the kapp vs. pH profiles are bowl-shaped. Analysis reveals that the reaction of the sulphydryl group to which this phase may be attributed is coupled to the ionization of two groups with mean pKa values of 6.53 +/- 0.1 and 8.25 +/- 0.1. Examination of the structure of hemoglobin allows us to assign these values to HisG19(117) beta and CysB5(23) beta, respectively. The CysB5(23) beta sulphydryl is in the region of the molecule where amino acid substitutions have been found to give rise to significant changes in the oxygen affinity of hemoglobin [Huang et al. (1990), Biochemistry 29, 7020-7023].

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007700 Kinetics The rate dynamics in chemical or physical systems.
D010856 Columbidae Family in the order COLUMBIFORMES, comprised of pigeons or doves. They are BIRDS with short legs, stout bodies, small heads, and slender bills. Some sources call the smaller species doves and the larger pigeons, but the names are interchangeable. Columba livia,Doves,Pigeons,Domestic Pigeons,Feral Pigeons,Rock Doves,Rock Pigeons,Domestic Pigeon,Dove,Dove, Rock,Doves, Rock,Feral Pigeon,Pigeon,Pigeon, Domestic,Pigeon, Feral,Pigeon, Rock,Pigeons, Domestic,Pigeons, Feral,Pigeons, Rock,Rock Dove,Rock Pigeon
D004228 Dithionitrobenzoic Acid A standard reagent for the determination of reactive sulfhydryl groups by absorbance measurements. It is used primarily for the determination of sulfhydryl and disulfide groups in proteins. The color produced is due to the formation of a thio anion, 3-carboxyl-4-nitrothiophenolate. 5,5'-Dithiobis(2-nitrobenzoic Acid),DTNB,Ellman's Reagent,5,5'-Dithiobis(nitrobenzoate),Acid, Dithionitrobenzoic,Ellman Reagent,Ellmans Reagent,Reagent, Ellman's
D006454 Hemoglobins The oxygen-carrying proteins of ERYTHROCYTES. They are found in all vertebrates and some invertebrates. The number of globin subunits in the hemoglobin quaternary structure differs between species. Structures range from monomeric to a variety of multimeric arrangements. Eryhem,Ferrous Hemoglobin,Hemoglobin,Hemoglobin, Ferrous
D006863 Hydrogen-Ion Concentration The normality of a solution with respect to HYDROGEN ions; H+. It is related to acidity measurements in most cases by pH pH,Concentration, Hydrogen-Ion,Concentrations, Hydrogen-Ion,Hydrogen Ion Concentration,Hydrogen-Ion Concentrations
D000595 Amino Acid Sequence The order of amino acids as they occur in a polypeptide chain. This is referred to as the primary structure of proteins. It is of fundamental importance in determining PROTEIN CONFORMATION. Protein Structure, Primary,Amino Acid Sequences,Sequence, Amino Acid,Sequences, Amino Acid,Primary Protein Structure,Primary Protein Structures,Protein Structures, Primary,Structure, Primary Protein,Structures, Primary Protein
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D001665 Binding Sites The parts of a macromolecule that directly participate in its specific combination with another molecule. Combining Site,Binding Site,Combining Sites,Site, Binding,Site, Combining,Sites, Binding,Sites, Combining
D013438 Sulfhydryl Compounds Compounds containing the -SH radical. Mercaptan,Mercapto Compounds,Sulfhydryl Compound,Thiol,Thiols,Mercaptans,Compound, Sulfhydryl,Compounds, Mercapto,Compounds, Sulfhydryl
D046911 Macromolecular Substances Compounds and molecular complexes that consist of very large numbers of atoms and are generally over 500 kDa in size. In biological systems macromolecular substances usually can be visualized using ELECTRON MICROSCOPY and are distinguished from ORGANELLES by the lack of a membrane structure. Macromolecular Complexes,Macromolecular Compounds,Macromolecular Compounds and Complexes,Complexes, Macromolecular,Compounds, Macromolecular,Substances, Macromolecular

Related Publications

K O Okonjo, and T O Okia
May 1973, Journal of molecular biology,
K O Okonjo, and T O Okia
July 1969, Biochimica et biophysica acta,
K O Okonjo, and T O Okia
February 1982, Biochemical and biophysical research communications,
K O Okonjo, and T O Okia
December 1991, International journal of biological macromolecules,
K O Okonjo, and T O Okia
February 1981, The Biochemical journal,
K O Okonjo, and T O Okia
April 1979, Analytical biochemistry,
Copied contents to your clipboard!