Globin Types Research Articles

Evolution of respiratory adaptations in hydrothermal vent scales worms (Polynoidae)

Hydrothermal vents are deep-sea ecosystems that are characterized by widely changing chemical and physical characteristics that are the result of the chaotic mixing of the hydrothermal fluid, rich in toxic compounds, such as sulfide and heavy metals, with low pH, high temperature and no oxygen; with the deep-sea water that contains no heavy metals, has a pH of ~7.8, low temperature and normal oxygen concentrations. Among others constraints, hypoxia and anoxia pose a serious problem for the fauna colonizing the hydrothermal ecosystems. Scale-worms (Polynoidea) living at hydrothermal vents are abundant, diverse and widely distributed in the range of chemical and thermal conditions. To obtain the benefits of living there (abundant local primary production), they need to cope with the harsh conditions that characterize these ecosystems. Respiratory pigments play a central function in the adaptation to hypoxia (uptake, transport and storage of the oxygen). Hydrothermal vent polynoids possess hemoglobins, a feature that clearly sets them aside from shallow water relatives. These hemoglobins are unique among annelids and their evolutionary history was the interest of this work. There are two main types of hemoglobins in hydrothermal vent polynoids: single- and tetra-domain globins. Although they are extracellular, both globins types are more closely related to intracellular globins that to the typical annelid extracellular ones. This indicates a distinct origin for these hemoglobins. We first studied the evolutionary history of the multi-domain gene hemoglobin and found out that it originates from the tandem duplication of a myoglobin/like ancestral. Both globin types possess residues in the heme pocket that have been shown to be responsible for the high oxygen affinity in the nematode Ascaris hemoglobin. These amino acids are also found in the globin from Harmothea, a non-vent-endemic species. This indicates that the adaptative value of these hemoglobins most likely resides in their expression at high levels in the body and did not require specific adaptations in the heme pocket in the lineage to give rise to all the vent species. In addition, some amino acid sites were shown to be under positive selection in some lineages. Some of these amino acids are located in the heme pocket where they will likely affect the functional properties and potentially provide protection against sulfide. The other amino acids under positive selection are located in areas where they will probably affect interactions between subunits for the single-domain globins, and between domains for the tetra-domain globins.

Globin gene family evolution and functional diversification in annelids

Globins are the most common type of oxygen-binding protein in annelids. In this paper, we show that circulating intracellular globin (Alvinella pompejana and Glycera dibranchiata), noncirculating intracellular globin (Arenicola marina myoglobin) and extracellular globin from various annelids share a similar gene structure, with two conserved introns at canonical positions B12.2 and G7.0. Despite sequence divergence between intracellular and extracellular globins, these data strongly suggest that these three globin types are derived from a common ancestral globin-like gene and evolved by duplication events leading to diversification of globin types and derived functions. A phylogenetic analysis shows a distinct evolutionary history of annelid extracellular hemoglobins with respect to intracellular annelid hemoglobins and mollusc and arthropod extracellular hemoglobins. In addition, dehaloperoxidase (DHP) from the annelid, Amphitrite ornata, surprisingly exhibits close phylogenetic relationships to some annelid intracellular globins. We have characterized the gene structure of A. ornata DHP to confirm assumptions about its homology with globins. It appears that it has the same intron position as in globin genes, suggesting a common ancestry with globins. In A. ornata, DHP may be a derived globin with an unusual enzymatic function.

A phylogenomic profile of globins

BackgroundGlobins occur in all three kingdoms of life: they can be classified into single-domain globins and chimeric globins. The latter comprise the flavohemoglobins with a C-terminal FAD-binding domain and the gene-regulating globin coupled sensors, with variable C-terminal domains. The single-domain globins encompass sequences related to chimeric globins and «truncated» hemoglobins with a 2-over-2 instead of the canonical 3-over-3 α-helical fold.ResultsA census of globins in 26 archaeal, 245 bacterial and 49 eukaryote genomes was carried out. Only ~25% of archaea have globins, including globin coupled sensors, related single domain globins and 2-over-2 globins. From one to seven globins per genome were found in ~65% of the bacterial genomes: the presence and number of globins are positively correlated with genome size. Globins appear to be mostly absent in Bacteroidetes/Chlorobi, Chlamydia, Lactobacillales, Mollicutes, Rickettsiales, Pastorellales and Spirochaetes. Single domain globins occur in metazoans and flavohemoglobins are found in fungi, diplomonads and mycetozoans. Although red algae have single domain globins, including 2-over-2 globins, the green algae and ciliates have only 2-over-2 globins. Plants have symbiotic and nonsymbiotic single domain hemoglobins and 2-over-2 hemoglobins. Over 90% of eukaryotes have globins: the nematode Caenorhabditis has the most putative globins, ~33. No globins occur in the parasitic, unicellular eukaryotes such as Encephalitozoon, Entamoeba, Plasmodium and Trypanosoma.ConclusionAlthough Bacteria have all three types of globins, Archaeado not have flavohemoglobins and Eukaryotes lack globin coupled sensors. Since the hemoglobins in organisms other than animals are enzymes or sensors, it is likely that the evolution of an oxygen transport function accompanied the emergence of multicellular animals.

The amphibian globin gene repertoire as revealed by the Xenopus genome

The draft genome sequence of the Western clawed frog Xenopus (Silurana) tropicalis facilitates the identification, expression analysis and phylogenetic classification of the amphibian globin gene repertoire. Frog and mammalian neuroglobin display about 67% protein sequence identity, with the expected predominant expression in frog brain and eye. Frog and mammalian cytoglobins share about 69% of their amino acids, but the frog protein lacks the mammalian-type extension at the C-terminus. Like in mammals, X. tropicalis cytoglobin is expressed in many organs including neural tissue. Neuroglobin and cytoglobin genomic regions are syntenically conserved in all vertebrate classes. Frog and fish globin X show only 57% amino acid identity, but gene synteny analysis confirms orthology. The expression pattern of X. laevis globin X differs from that in fish, with a prominent expression in the eye and weak expression in most other examined tissues. Globin X is possibly present as two paralogous copies in X. tropicalis, with one copy showing transition stages of non-functionalization. The amphibian genome contains a previously unknown globin type (tentatively named ‘globin Y’) which is expressed in a broad range of tissues and is distantly related to the cytoglobin lineage. The globin Y gene is linked to a cluster of larval and adult hemoglobin α and β genes which contains substantially more paralogous hemoglobin gene copies than previously published. Database and gene synteny analyses confirm the absence of a myoglobin gene in X. tropicalis.

Axolotl hemoglobin: cDNA-derived amino acid sequences of two α globins and a β globin from an adult Ambystoma mexicanum

Erythrocytes of the adult axolotl, Ambystoma mexicanum, have multiple hemoglobins. We separated and purified two kinds of hemoglobin, termed major hemoglobin (Hb M) and minor hemoglobin (Hb m), from a five-year-old male by hydrophobic interaction column chromatography on Alkyl Superose. The hemoglobins have two distinct α type globin polypeptides (α M and α m) and a common β globin polypeptide, all of which were purified in FPLC on a reversed-phase column after S-pyridylethylation. The complete amino acid sequences of the three globin chains were determined separately using nucleotide sequencing with the assistance of protein sequencing. The mature globin molecules were composed of 141 amino acid residues for α M globin, 143 for α m globin and 146 for β globin. Comparing primary structures of the five kinds of axolotl globins, including two previously established α type globins from the same species, with other known globins of amphibians and representatives of other vertebrates, we constructed phylogenetic trees for amphibian hemoglobins and tetrapod hemoglobins. The molecular trees indicated that α M, α m, β and the previously known α major globin were adult types of globins and the other known α globin was a larval type. The existence of two to four more globins in the axolotl erythrocyte is predicted.

Heterogeneity of the εγδβ Thalassemias: Characterization of 3 Novel English Deletions.

The thalassemias are inherited disorders classified genetically into α, β, γ, δβ, δ and εγδβ varieties according to the type of globin(s) that are underproduced. At the molecular level, the εγδβ thalassemias fall into two categories; Group I removes all, or a greater part, of the β globin gene cluster which is embedded in an array of olfactory receptor genes on chromosome 11p15. Group II removes extensive upstream regions leaving the β globin gene itself intact despite which, its expression is silenced due to inactivation of the upstream locus control region (β LCR). Recently, two novel deletions causing εγδβ thalassemia have been reported; a 153 kb deletion removing the entire β globin cluster in a Chilean family (Game, L., et al., Br J Haematol 2003, 123:154–9) and an upstream deletion of 112 kb in a Dutch family (Dutch III) (Harteveld, C.L., et al., Br J Haematol 2003, 122: 855–8). We describe here the characterization of another three novel εγδβ thalassemia deletions, in three English families, named English II, III and IV, to differentiate them from the previously reported English (I) deletion (Curtin, P., et al., J Clin Invest 1985, 76: 1554–8). Deletion English II removed 98 kb extending 90 kb upstream of the ε gene to 8 kb upstream of the Gγ gene, and included 4 upstream olfactory receptor (HOR) genes. Deletion English III removed 114 kb extending 60 kb upstream of the ε gene to 9 kb downstream of the β globin gene, thus including the entire β globin gene cluster as well as two upstream HOR genes. English IV is the largest deletion (439 kb) reported so far; starting 326 kb upstream of the ε gene to 70 kb downstream of the β gene and included 13 upstream, and 3 downstream, HOR genes plus the intervening β globin gene cluster. Breakpoints of all the 3 deletions occurred within regions of L1 or Alu repeat elements and contained short regions of direct homology between the flanking sequences, a feature that is likely to have contributed to the illegitimate recombinations. Deletions English II and III appear to be de novo while English IV is not. The proband for the English IV deletion had neonatal hemolytic anemia and required blood transfusions while 3 other family members who were heterozygous for the same deletion, had uneventful post-natal periods. The English III proband also required a blood transfusion soon after birth while the English II proband did not. Although in later life, heterozygotes for εγδβ thalassemia are transfusion-independent, and have a blood picture typical of β thalassemia trait but with normal Hb A2 levels, our data suggest that heterozygotes for εγδβ thalassemias have more severe microcytosis and hypochromia than β thalassemia carriers. To date, a total of 15 deletions causing εγδβ thalassemia have been described - five upstream deletions (Group II) associated with intact β globin genes and ten (Group I) that include the entire β globin gene cluster. These deletions are all unique and illustrate the heterogeneity of the εγδβ thalassemias.

Mapping protein matrix cavities in human cytoglobin through Xe atom binding

Cytoglobin is the fourth recognized globin type, almost ubiquitously distributed in human tissues; its function is still poorly understood. Cytoglobin displays a core region of about 150 residues, structurally related to hemoglobin and myoglobin, and two extra segments, about 20 residues each, at the N- and C-termini. The core region hosts a large apolar cavity, held to provide a ligand diffusion pathway to/from the heme, and/or ligand temporary docking sites. Here we report the crystal structure (2.4 Å resolution, R-factor 19.1%) of a human cytoglobin mutant bearing the CysB2(38) → Ser and CysE9(83) → Ser substitutions (CYGB*), treated under pressurized xenon. Three Xe atoms bind to the heme distal site region of CYGB* mapping the protein matrix apolar cavity. Despite the conserved globin fold, the cavity found in CYGB* is structured differently from those recognized to play a functional role in myoglobin, neuroglobin, truncated hemoglobins, and Cerebratulus lacteus mini-hemoglobin.

Evolution of the sulfide-binding function within the globin multigenic family of the deep-sea hydrothermal vent tubeworm Riftia pachyptila.

The giant extracellular hexagonal bilayer hemoglobin (HBL-Hb) of the deep-sea hydrothermal vent tube worm Riftia pachyptila is able to transport simultaneously O(2) and H(2)S in the blood from the gills to a specific organ: the trophosome that harbors sulfide-oxidizing endosymbionts. This vascular HBL-Hb is made of 144 globins from which four globin types (A1, A2, B1, and B2) coevolve. The H(2)S is bound at a specific location (not on the heme site) onto two of these globin types. In order to understand how such a function emerged and evolved in vestimentiferans and other related annelids, six partial cDNAs corresponding to the six globins known to compose the multigenic family of R. pachyptila have been identified and sequenced. These partial sequences (ca. 120 amino acids, i.e., 80% of the entire protein) were used to reconstruct molecular phylogenies in order to trace duplication events that have led to the family organization of these globins and to locate the position of the free cysteine residues known to bind H(2)S. From these sequences, only two free cysteine residues have been found to occur, at positions Cys + 1 (i.e., 1 a.a. from the well-conserved distal histidine) and Cys + 11 (i.e., 11 a.a. from the same histidine) in globins B2 and A2, respectively. These two positions are well conserved in annelids, vestimentiferans, and pogonophorans, which live in sulfidic environments. The structural comparison of the hydrophobic environment that surrounds these cysteine residues (the sulfide-binding domain) using hydrophobic cluster analysis plots, together with the cysteine positions in paralogous strains, suggests that the sulfide-binding function might have emerged before the annelid radiation in order to detoxify this toxic compound. Moreover, globin evolutionary rates are highly different between paralogous strains. This suggests that either the two globin subfamilies involved in the sulfide-binding function (A2 and B2) have evolved under strong directional selective constraints (negative selection) and that the two other globins (A1 and B1) have accumulated more substitutions through positive selection or have evolved neutrally after a relaxation of selection pressures. A likely scenario on the evolution of this multigenic family is proposed and discussed from this data set.

A vertebrate globin expressed in the brain

Haemoglobins and myoglobins constitute related protein families that function in oxygen transport and storage in humans and other vertebrates. Here we report the identification of a third globin type in man and mouse. This protein is predominantly expressed in the brain, and therefore we have called it neuroglobin. Mouse neuroglobin is a monomer with a high oxygen affinity (half saturation pressure, P50 approximately 2 torr). Analogous to myoglobin, neuroglobin may increase the availability of oxygen to brain tissue. The human neuroglobin gene (NGB), located on chromosome 14q24, has a unique exon-intron structure. Neuroglobin represents a distinct protein family that diverged early in metazoan evolution, probably before the Protostomia/Deuterostomia split.

New Type of Globin Discovered in the Human Brain

A basic area in medical science concerns hemoglobins and myoglobins, related proteins that function in oxygen transport and storage in the blood and muscle of humans and other vertebrates. These researchers investigated globin-like sequences in mouse and human DNA databases and discovered a third type of globin, …

Wheat germ agglutinin-reactive chains of giant hemoglobin from the polychaete Perinereis aibuhitensis

Wheat germ agglutinin-reactive chains of multisubunit extracellular hemoglobin from the polychaete Perinereis aibuhitensis were identified to clarify the carbohydrate gluing which is the carbohydrate-dependent supramolecular architecture of the hemoglobin (Ebina S. et al. (1995) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 92, 7367–7371). Electron microscope micrographs of Perinereis hemoglobin showed a characteristic shape of two-tiered hexagonal rings whose diameter and height were determined to be 29.4 ± 1.7 nm and 20.0 ± 1.8 nm, respectively. Four types of globins and two types of linkers were isolated from the giant hemoglobin by reverse-phase chromatography and SDS-PAGE. These constituents showed similar NH 2-terminal sequences as those previously reported for corresponding chains of Tylorrhynchus hemoglobin (Suzuki T. and Gotoh T. (1986) J. Biol. Chem. 261, 9257–9267; Suzuki T. et al. (1990) J. Biol. Chem. 265, 12168–12177). Thus, each globin of Perinereis hemoglobin was identified in terms of amino acid sequence homology and designated using names common to Tylorrhynchus hemoglobin, namely, a, A, b, and B. The linkers were stained by horseradish peroxidase (HRP)-lectins and PAS staining kits, indicating the presence of carbohydrate oligomers. Lectin staining was also significantly positive to globins a and A, which belong to strain A, but negative to globins b and B, which belong to strain B. Results showed that linkers and globins of strain A had a site in a carbohydrate oligomer to which wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) could bind. On the other hand, an alignment between known amino acid sequences of annelid globins and linkers and the sequences of lectins revealed that only the domain of the cysteine-rich motif in linkers has a homology with WGA-type lectins. The results of this study clarify the structuring mechanism of a supramolecule by lectin-like binding, called carbohydrate gluing.

In situ hybridization analysis of globin mRNAs in the primitive erythroid cells of the chick embryo.

The possibility that the minor embryonic chick hemoglobins might be present in a particular subgroup of primitive erythroid cells has been investigated by in situ hybridization. Probe to detect the mRNA for the alpha A globin chain of the minor embryonic hemoglobin was used, and the results of the hybridization were compared with those obtained using as probes the cDNAs for total globin mRNAs. All erythroid cells circulating in a 4-day-old chick embryo gave positive signals with both probes at an approximately constant ratio. This shows that all cells contain a similar assortment of hemoglobin types, excluding the possibility that a subgroup might contain the minor primitive hemoglobins exclusively. However, the cells are not homogeneous, since about 10% of them show a distinctly higher concentration of mRNA of all globin types.

Carbohydrate gluing, an architectural mechanism in the supramolecular structure of an annelid giant hemoglobin.

We report a carbohydrate-dependent supramolecular architecture in the extracellular giant hemoglobin (Hb) from the marine worm Perinereis aibuhitensis; we call this architectural mechanism carbohydrate gluing. This study is an extension of our accidental discovery of deterioration in the form of the Hb caused by a high concentration of glucose. The giant Hbs of annelids are natural supramolecules consisting of about 200 polypeptide chains that associate to form a double-layered hexagonal structure. This Hb has 0.5% (wt) carbohydrates, including mannose, xylose, fucose, galactose, glucose, N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc), and N-acetylgalactosamine (GalNAc). Using carbohydrate-staining assays, in conjunction with two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, we found that two types of linker chains (L1 and L2; the nomenclature of the Hb subunits followed that for another marine worm, Tylorrhynchus heterochaetus) contained carbohydrates with both GlcNAc and GalNAc. Furthermore, two types of globins (a and A) have only GlcNAc-containing carbohydrates, whereas the other types of globins (b and B) had no carbohydrates. Monosaccharides including mannose, fucose, glucose, galactose, GlcNAc, and GalNAc reversibly dissociated the intact form of the Hb, but the removal of carbohydrate with N-glycanase resulted in irreversible dissociation. These results show that carbohydrate acts noncovalently to glue together the components to yield the complete quaternary supramolecular structure of the giant Hb. We suggest that this carbohydrate gluing may be mediated through lectin-like carbohydrate-binding by the associated structural chains ("linkers").

Divergence pattern and selective mode in protein evolution: the example of vertebrate myoglobins and hemoglobin chains.

The evolutionary relation of vertebrate myoglobin and the hemoglobin chains including the agnathan hemoglobin chain is investigated on the basis of a new view of amino acid changes that is developed by canonical discriminant analysis of amino acid residues at individual sites. In contrast to the clear discrimination of amino acid residues between myoglobin, hemoglobin alpha chain, and hemoglobin beta chain in warm-blood vertebrates, the three types of globins in the lower class of vertebrates show so much variation that they are not well discriminated. This is seen particularly at the sites that are ascertained in mammals to carry the amino acid residues participating in stabilizing the monomeric structure in myoglobin and the residues forming the subunit contacts in hemoglobin. At these sites, agnathan hemoglobin chains are evaluated to be intermediate between the myoglobin and hemoglobin chains of gnathostomes. The variation in the phylogenetically lower class of globins is also seen in the internal region; there the amino acid residues of myoglobin and hemoglobin chains in the phylogenetically higher class exhibit an example of parallel evolution at the molecular level. New quantities, the distance of sequence property between discriminated groups and the variation within each group, are derived from the values of discriminant functions along the peptide chain, and this set of quantities simply describes an overall feature of globins such that the distinction between the three types of globins has been clearer as the vertebrates have evolved to become jawed, landed, and warm-blooded. This result strongly suggests that the functional constraint on the amino acid sequence of a protein is changed by living conditions and that severe conditions constitute a driving force that creates a distinctive protein from a less-constrained protein.

Diminished AγT fetal globin levels in Sardinian haplotype II β°‐thalassaemia patients are associated with a four base pair deletion in the AγT promoter

In Sardinia, the beta-39 nonsense mutation is the primary cause of beta 0-thalassaemia. This mutation is found mainly on beta-globin gene cluster haplotypes I and II, which differ in their A gamma globin types (A gamma I and A gamma T, respectively). This report presents data on G gamma, A gamma I and A gamma T levels, and the presence or absence of a 4 base pair (bp) deletion at -225 to -222 of the A gamma globin promoter, in 55 poly-transfused beta 0-thalassaemia major patients. Six patients were homozygotes for the normal (N) A gamma promoter lacking the 4 bp deletion, had no A gamma T globin, and their mean G gamma:A gamma I: A gamma T ratio was 52.9:47.1:0. Twenty-five patients were homozygotes for the mutant (M) A gamma promoter with the 4 bp deletion, had no A gamma I globin, and the mean G gamma:A gamma I: A gamma T ratio was 62.1:0:37.9. For M/M compared to N/N, the lower A gamma T than A gamma I was significant by the t-test (P less than 0.001). Twenty-four N/M cases had mean G gamma:A gamma I:A gamma T of 56:24.4:19.6, and the lower A gamma T than A gamma I was also significant (P less than 0.001). Partial haplotype analysis on these and 17 other beta 0-thalassaemia patients suggested that the 4 bp deletion was strongly associated with haplotype II. Of 33 M/M, 32 were haplotype II/II and one was II/5a; of 31 N/M, 29 were I/II and two were II/IX; of eight N/N, seven were haplotype I/I and one was I/IX. These data show a strong association of the 4 bp promoter deletion with decreased expression of the A gamma T globin gene on haplotype II.

The cDNA sequences encoding two components of the polymeric fraction of the intracellular hemoglobin of Glycera dibranchiata.

The intracellular hemoglobin of the polychaete Glycera dibranchiata consists of several components, some of which self-associate into a "polymeric" fraction. The cDNA library constructed from the poly(A+) mRNA of Glycera erythrocytes (Simons, P. C., and Satterlee, J. D. (1989) Biochemistry 28, 8525-8530) was screened with two oligodeoxynucleotide probes corresponding to the amino acid sequences MEEKVP and AMNSKV. Each of the two probes identified a full-length positive insert; these were sequenced using the dideoxynucleotide chain termination method. One clone was 630 bases long and contained 36 bases of 5'-untranslated RNA, a reading frame of 441 bases coding for the 147 amino acids of globin P2 including the residues MEEKVP, and a 3'-untranslated region of 153 bases. The other clone was 540 bases long and contained 24 bases of 5'-untranslated RNA, an open reading frame of 441 bases coding for globin P3 including the residues AMNSKV, and a 3'-untranslated region of 75 bases. The inferred amino acid sequences of the two globins were in agreement with the partial amino acid sequences obtained by chemical methods. The P2 and P3 globin sequences, together with the previously determined P1 sequence of a complete insert and partial sequences P4, P5, and P6 obtained from partial inserts (Zafar, R. S., Chow, L. H., Stern, M. S., Vinogradov, S. N., and Walz, D. A. (1990) Biochim. Biophys. Acta, in press) suggest that there are at least six components in the polymeric fraction of Glycera hemoglobin, which is in agreement with the results of polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in Tris/glycine buffer, pH 8.3, 6 M urea. Nothern and dot blot analyses of Glycera erythrocyte poly(A+) mRNA using the foregoing two cDNA probes clearly demonstrated the presence of mature messages encoding both types of globins. Comparison of the polymeric sequences P1, P2, and P3 with the "monomeric" globins M-II and M-IV using the alignment and templates of Bashford et al. (Bashford, D., Chothia, C., and Lesk, A. M. (1987) J. Mol. Biol. 196, 199-216) showed that all five globins have identical residues at 39 positions. At 44 positions, the three polymeric globins share identical residues that differ from the identical residues at the corresponding locations in the monomeric sequences M-II and M-IV including position E7, where the latter have leucine instead of the distal histidine. At 15 positions, there occurs an alteration from polar to nonpolar or from a small nonpolar to a larger nonpolar residue in going from the monomeric to the polymeric globins.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Cellular and membrane properties of alpha and beta thalassemic erythrocytes are different: implication for differences in clinical manifestations

To define how excess unpaired alpha- and beta-globin chains in severe beta-thalassemia and severe alpha-thalassemia interacting with the membrane might alter cellular and membrane properties, we performed a series of biophysical and biochemical analyses on erythrocytes obtained from affected patients. Detailed analysis of cellular and membrane deformability characteristics showed that both forms of thalassemic erythrocytes have excess surface area in relation to cell volume and increased membrane dynamic rigidity. The deformability characteristics of thalassemic erythrocytes in hypertonic media differed significantly from that of normal erythrocytes of identical cell density. These findings suggest that dynamic rigidity of thalassemic erythrocytes is influenced not only by cytoplasmic viscosity determined by cell hemoglobin concentration but also by the extent and type of globin interacting with the membrane. In contrast to the above-noted similarities, major differences were noted in the mechanical stability of the alpha- and beta-thalassemic membranes and in their state of cell hydration. While the mechanical stability of alpha-thalassemic membranes was normal or marginally elevated, the stability of beta- thalassemic membranes was markedly decreased to half the normal value. Cell-density analysis showed that the alpha-thalassemic erythrocytes were uniformly less dense than normal, while beta-thalassemic erythrocytes had a broad-density distribution, with all populations having both lower and higher than normal density values, implying cellular dehydration in beta-thalassemia and not in alpha-thalassemia. Membrane-protein analysis revealed that excess globin chains were bound to the membrane skeletons of both alpha- and beta-thalassemic erythrocytes, with the highest amounts being found in membrane skeletons derived from erythrocytes of splenectomized individuals with beta-thalassemia intermedia. These data demonstrate that interaction of excess alpha- and beta-globin chains with membranes produces different cellular changes and suggest that the observed differences in the pathophysiology of alpha- and beta-thalassemias may be related to different cellular effects induced by the excess in beta- and alpha- globin chains.

Cellular and Membrane Properties of Alpha and Beta Thalassemic Erythrocytes Are Different: Implication for Differences in Clinical Manifestations

To define how excess unpaired alpha- and beta-globin chains in severe beta-thalassemia and severe alpha-thalassemia interacting with the membrane might alter cellular and membrane properties, we performed a series of biophysical and biochemical analyses on erythrocytes obtained from affected patients. Detailed analysis of cellular and membrane deformability characteristics showed that both forms of thalassemic erythrocytes have excess surface area in relation to cell volume and increased membrane dynamic rigidity. The deformability characteristics of thalassemic erythrocytes in hypertonic media differed significantly from that of normal erythrocytes of identical cell density. These findings suggest that dynamic rigidity of thalassemic erythrocytes is influenced not only by cytoplasmic viscosity determined by cell hemoglobin concentration but also by the extent and type of globin interacting with the membrane. In contrast to the above-noted similarities, major differences were noted in the mechanical stability of the alpha- and beta-thalassemic membranes and in their state of cell hydration. While the mechanical stability of alpha-thalassemic membranes was normal or marginally elevated, the stability of beta-thalassemic membranes was markedly decreased to half the normal value. Cell-density analysis showed that the alpha-thalassemic erythrocytes were uniformly less dense than normal, while beta-thalassemic erythrocytes had a broad-density distribution, with all populations having both lower and higher than normal density values, implying cellular dehydration in beta-thalassemia and not in alpha-thalassemia. Membrane-protein analysis revealed that excess globin chains were bound to the membrane skeletons of both alpha- and beta-thalassemic erythrocytes, with the highest amounts being found in membrane skeletons derived from erythrocytes of splenectomized individuals with beta-thalassemia intermedia. These data demonstrate that interaction of excess alpha- and beta-globin chains with membranes produces different cellular changes and suggest that the observed differences in the pathophysiology of alpha- and beta-thalassemias may be related to different cellular effects induced by the excess in beta- and alpha-globin chains.

Hemoglobin patterns in different populations of Synbranchus marmoratus Bloch, 1795 (Pisces, Synbranchidae)

1. 1. Total hemolysates of Synbranchus marmoratus Bloch, 1795 captured at four different sites in the State of São Paulo, Brazil, showed two different hemoglobin phenotypes when submitted to agar-starch gel electrophoresis on glass slides in basic buffer. 2. 2. Phenotype I was characterized by 3 hemoglobin bands. When the total hemolysate was submitted to cellulose acetate electrophoresis in basic buffer containing 6 M urea and β-mercaptoethanol, Phenotype I showed four globins of the α 1, α 2, β and γ types, with 11.9 ± 1.9 g% total hemoglobin, 45.3 ± 3.6% globular volume, and 26.8 ± 4.4% mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC). 3. 3. Phenotype II showed three groups of hemoglobins, with a total of up to 12 hemoglobin bands. When the total hemolysate was submitted to cellulose acetate electrophoresis in basic buffer containing 6 M urea and β-mercaptoethanol, phenotype II showed five types of globins, denoted types α 1, α 2, γ 1, γ 2 and β, having electrophoretic positions different from those of Phenotype I globins, with 18.1 ± 3.3% total hemoglobin, 47.9 ± 6.4% globular volume, and 37.8 ± 4.4% MCHC. 4. 4. The distribution of the specimens having the two hemoglobin phenotypes is associated with the different geomorphological provinces of the State of São Paulo, suggesting the existence of at least two populational groups of Synbranchus marmoratus.

Synthesis of adult-type hemoglobin in human erythremia cell line

KMOE -2/05 cells, derived from a patient with acute erythremia, became benzidine-positive after the addition of cytosine arabinoside (CA). Radioimmunoassays using antihuman hemoglobin antibodies revealed an elevated amount of hemoglobin in the CA-exposed cells over that in the control cells (without CA). Isoelectric focusing of the CA-exposed cell lysate formed benzidine-positive foci in the positions of human adult Hb (HbA) and human fetal Hb (HbF). To determine the types of globin synthesized in the CA-exposed cells, globin chains internally labeled with [3H] leucine were purified by carboxy-methyl (CM)-Sephadex column chromatography, immunoadsorption by Sepharose-coupled antihuman Hb antibodies and Sephadex G-100. The labeled globin chains were finally separated by CM-cellulose chromatography in urea. Two distinct peaks of radioactivity were shown in exactly the same fractions as carrier human globin alpha- and beta-chains. These observations indicate that these KMOE -2/05 cells synthesize HbA.