Spectroscopic properties of the hemes of human adult hemoglobin and its subunits

Protective effect of sucrose on spray drying of oxyhemoglobin

As far as we know, spray drying has previously not been applied to oxyhemoglobin, undoubtedly because of the sensitivity of oxyhemoglobin to temperature and oxidation. Our experience with freeze drying encouraged us to perform spray-drying trials in order to compare the results of the two methods, in the absence and the presence of protective compounds. Spray drying of hemoglobin without a protective compound led, as in freeze drying, to formation of a percentage of methemoglobin (50%) that makes it unsuitable for transporting oxygen. In the presence of 0.25 M sucrose (optimum) and at 80-100 degrees C, the functional properties of the hemoglobin were well preserved (methemoglobin approximately 4%), and the residual humidity was limited to approximately 3%. Structural investigation by optical circular dichroism confirmed the results obtained by freeze drying: in the presence of an effective protector, the spectra were similar to those of control hemoglobin and the immediate environment of the heme did not undergo any major change. Electron spin resonance absorption bands in all samples were similar for each value of the spectral decomposition factor, g. This suggests that the structure of the heme is not altered by desiccation and that the protector does not penetrate into the heme pocket since it would have disturbed the symmetry of the crystalline field. Fundamentally, these results are equivalent or similar to those observed with freeze drying; since spray drying is a different process of dehydration, the results indicate a lack of specificity in the phenomena of oxidation or of protection affecting hemoglobin.

Preference of oxygenation between alpha and beta subunits of haemoglobin. Results of multidimensional spectroscopic observation

The distribution of oxygen between the subunits of haemoglobin was studied spectrophotometrically. The difficulty in discriminating the spectral changes upon oxygen binding to the alpha or beta subunit can be surmounted by means of multidimensional spectroscopic observations and a correlation analysis of the data. M-type abnormal haemoglobins are used as a control against normal haemoglobin because only one type of its subunits can bind oxygen. A multidimensional spectroscopic measuring system, which has been developed in our laboratory, makes it possible to carry out simultaneous and continuous acquisition of a set of spectroscopic data at several wavelengths on one sample solution during the course of increasing or decreasing the partial pressure of oxygen. The data-storing function of a magnetic disk memory provides enough precision for a rigorous investigation of the correlation of oxygen equilibrium curves measured at several wavelengths. No chemical modification to enhance the spectral difference between subunits is necessary. In conclusion, by detecting slight differences between the oxygenation-sensitive bands of alpha and beta subunits, the beta subunits are found to have a higher affinity for oxygen than the alpha subunits.

Solution studies on heme proteins. Circular dichroism and optical rotation of Glycera dibranchiata hemoglobins

Circular dichroism (CD) and optical rotatory dispersion (ORD) spectra of several liganded derivatives of the monomer and polymer hemoglobin components of the marine annelid, Glycera dibranchiata were measured over the wavelength range 650--195 nm. The differences observed between the monomer and polymer components for the heme dichroic bands in the visible, Soret and ultraviolet wavelength regions seem to result from changes in the heme environment, geometry and coordination state of the central heme iron in these proteins. Within the Soret region, the liganded derivatives of the monomer hemoglobin exhibit predominantly negative circular dichroic bands. The heme band at 260 nm is also absent for the monomer hemoglobin. The ORD and CD spectra in the far-ultraviolet, peptide absorbing region suggest also differences in the alpha-helix content of the monomer and polymer hemoglobins. The values for the single-chain G. dibranchiata hemoglobin are in the expected range (about 70% alpha-helix) as predicted by the X-ray structure of this protein. The lower estimates of the alpha-helix content for the polymer hemoglobin (approx. 50%), may reflect the differences in amino acid composition, primary structure and polypeptide chain foldings. Changes in oxidation state and ligand binding appears to have no pronounced effect on the helicity of either the monomer or polymer hemoglobins. The removal of the heme moiety from the monomer hemoglobin did result in a major decrease in its helix content similar to the loss of heme from myoglobin.