Multiple hemoglobins in the golden hamster

Abstract

1. 1. Seven distinct benzidine-positive bands were found on starch-gel electrophoresis at pH 8.6 of the hemolysates from fetal, newborn and adult golden hamsters. Four of the seven benzidine-positive bands were analyzed and named Hemoglobins I, II, III and IV according to their increasing electrophoretic mobility. Hemoglobins I and II were found as major components in the fetal stage. Hemoglobin I gradually decreased and disappeared by the 11th day after birth. Hemoglobin II, however, gradually decreased but remained as a minor component in the newborn and adult. Hemoglobins III and IV were found as minor components in the fetal stage, the former as a major component and the latter as a minor one in the newborn and adult stages. 2. 2. The amino acid compositions of the polypeptide chains from these hemoglobins were determined. Few differences among the α I, α III and α IV chains were found in the amino acid compositions. There were apparent differences between the α II and other α chains involving a minimum of eleven amino acid residues. Among the non-α chains, the β II chain was very similar to the β III chain and there were distinct differences among the γ I, β III and β IV chains. 3. 3. The tryptic peptide patterns of the aminoethylated (AE) α I, AE α II and AE α IV chains were closely similar to one another. In the patterns of the AE α III and AE α II chains, one peak of the AE α III was replaced by one acidic peak and two basic peaks of the AE α II chain. On the other hand the AE γ I, AE β III and AE β IV chains were quite different from one another in the tryptic pattern, while the pattern of the AE β II chain was similar to that of the AE β III chain.