Histological specificity of respiratory pigments—I. Comparisons of the coelom and muscle hemoglobins of the polychaete worm travisia pupa and the echiuroid worm arhynchite pugettensis

Nonvertebrate hemoglobins: functions and molecular adaptations

Hemoglobin (Hb) occurs in all the kingdoms of living organisms. Its distribution is episodic among the nonvertebrate groups in contrast to vertebrates. Nonvertebrate Hbs range from single-chain globins found in bacteria, algae, protozoa, and plants to large, multisubunit, multidomain Hbs found in nematodes, molluscs and crustaceans, and the giant annelid and vestimentiferan Hbs comprised of globin and nonglobin subunits. Chimeric hemoglobins have been found recently in bacteria and fungi. Hb occurs intracellularly in specific tissues and in circulating red blood cells (RBCs) and freely dissolved in various body fluids. In addition to transporting and storing O(2) and facilitating its diffusion, several novel Hb functions have emerged, including control of nitric oxide (NO) levels in microorganisms, use of NO to control the level of O(2) in nematodes, binding and transport of sulfide in endosymbiont-harboring species and protection against sulfide, scavenging of O(2 )in symbiotic leguminous plants, O(2 )sensing in bacteria and archaebacteria, and dehaloperoxidase activity useful in detoxification of chlorinated materials. This review focuses on the extensive variation in the functional properties of nonvertebrate Hbs, their O(2 )binding affinities, their homotropic interactions (cooperativity), and the sensitivities of these parameters to temperature and heterotropic effectors such as protons and cations. Whenever possible, it attempts to relate the ligand binding properties to the known molecular structures. The divergent and convergent evolutionary trends evident in the structures and functions of nonvertebrate Hbs appear to be adaptive in extending the inhabitable environment available to Hb-containing organisms.

Oxygenation properties of the two co-occurring hemoglobins of the tube worm Riftia pachyptila

Riftia pachyptila vascular blood and coelomic fluid contain two hemoglobin molecules that differ in their distribution and physical properties. The present study of the two isolated hemoglobins shows that both have an extremely high affinity for oxygen, but differ in their oxygenation characteristics. FI, the larger molecular weight (Mr) fraction (1,700,000), has a lower oxygen affinity, a well defined pH Bohr effect, and high cooperativity of oxygen binding. FII, the lower Mr fraction (400,000) has a higher oxygen affinity, no pH Bohr effect, and reduced cooperativity of oxygen binding. Both hemoglobins show marked effects of temperature on oxygen binding, and no effect of heme concentration or the presence of sulfide on oxygen affinity. The differences in the oxygenation properties and distribution of the two hemoglobins in the body fluids of Riftia pachyptila may allow them to play different roles in oxygen transport and storage for the animal which lives in the variable environment of the hydrothermal vents.

Purification, characterization, and comparison of extracellular hemoglobins in coelomic fluid and blood vessel plasma of Travisia japonica (Polychaeta, Annelid)

1. Two kinds of extracellular gigantic hemoglobins in blood vessel plasma and in coelomic fluid of Travisia japonica (polychaeta, annelid) were purified. 2. Their properties including electron microscopic observation, gel filtration, amino acid analysis, SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and immunological properties were studied and compared. No significant difference was found between them. 3. They had a mol. wt of ca. 3 X 10(6) and a shape consisting of 12 subunits with a mol. wt of ca. 2.4 X 10(5) arranged in two superimposed hexagonal rings with a diameter of 22-25 nm and a thickness of 15-16 nm, as for other annelid gigantic hemoglobins described in the literatures.

Sea cucumber sibling species: polypeptide chain types and oxygen equilibrium of hemoglobin

The hemoglobin of the "thin" sibling species of Thyonella gemmata (phylum: Echinodermata; class: Holothuria) has three electrophoretically distinct polypeptide chains. In "stout" sibling species of T. gemmata there are only two chain types. These results account for the greater number of multiple hemoglobins in "thins" than in "stouts," as well as for differences in the amounts of some of the multiple hemoglobins when comparisons are mnade of hemolyzates of erythrocytes from the water vascular systemn and from the main body cavity of the "thin" but not the "stout" sibling species.

Genetic Control of Hemerythrin Specificity in a Marine Worm

A biochemical polymorphism of coelomic hemerythrin has been found in the sipunculid Golfingia gouldii; the electrophoretically "fast" and "slow" coelomic hemerythrins differ in their oxygen equilibria and by a single peptide in tryptic and chymotryptic "fingerprints." All individuals of this sipunculid have the same vascular hemerythrin, which is electrophoretically different from any of the coelomic hemerythrins. Vascular and coelomic hemerythrins of another sipunculid, Dendrostomum cymodoceae, have quite different "fingerprints." Thus, on the basis of two separate types of evidence the tissue-specific hemerythrins appear to have a distinct genetic basis. The embryological and phylogenetic implications are discussed.

Oxygen Equilibrium of Brachiopod Lingula Hemerythrin

In contrast to hemerythrin from five different species of sipunculid worms, ecardine brachiopod Lingula hemerythrin has an oxygen equilibrium which is reversibly altered by pH changes, both the oxygen affinity (Bohr effect) and the interactions between oxygen-binding centers being a function of pH. The significance of these phenomena is discussed in view of the phylogenetic distribution of hemerythrin and the function of respiratory pigments.