Sperm Whale Metmyoglobin Research Articles

Denaturation thermodynamics of chicken cardiac metmyoglobin

The unfolding at pH 8 of chicken cardiac aquometmyoglobin was examined as a function of temperature and concentration of guanidinium chloride using the two-state model. The isothermal unfolding data at 25°C were fitted to Tanford's transfer model and the binding model of Aune and Tanford. The estimates obtained for Δ G D) were virtually identical, viz., 8.3 ±0.3 kcal mol −1. The chicken metmyoglobin is thus some 5.3 kcal mol −1 less stable than that of sperm whale metmyoglobin. The unfolding parameters α and Δ n were decreased 20% from those of mammalian myoglobins thus far examined, suggesting nonidentity of native conformations. The apparent enthalpy change on unfolding was dependent on both temperature and denaturant concentration. The decreases in the isothermal unfolding parameters from those of sperm whale are principally assigned to three of the 46 sequence changes.

Self-association of sperm whale metmyoglobin

The solution behavior of sperm whale metmyoglobin in 0.15 I phosphate-chloride buffer, pH 7.2, has been examined by sedimentation equilibrium, frontal gel chromatography, and sedimentation velocity. Results obtained from all three studies are shown to be consistent with a self-association model in which dimerization of the myoglobin is governed by an association equilibrium constant of 0.068 liter/g (580 m −1) at 20 °C.

Cavities in proteins: structure of a metmyoglobin-xenon complex solved to 1.9 A.

X-ray crystallographic data to 1.9-A resolution were collected on sperm whale metmyoglobin equilibrated with 7 atm of xenon gas. The results indicate four xenon sites of occupancy from 0.45 to 1.0. These sites are located in interior spaces or packing defects of the myoglobin molecule. The effects of the bound xenon on the protein structure are minor, and we observe a small overall reduction in refined isotropic atomic protein temperature factors. We interpret the results as a confirmation that, on a time-averaged basis, cavities exist within the myoglobin molecule and suggest that the binding of small ligands in these cavities affects the internal motions and conformational substrates of the protein.

Ultrasonic absorption in aqueous solutions of sperm whale metmyoglobin

Ultrasonic absorption in aqueous solutions of sperm whale metmyoglobin

Spectral properties and reactivity towards azide of Dicrocoelium dendriticum met-hemoglobin

The spectroscopic properties of Dicrocoelium dendriticum met-hemoglobin, investigated between pH 3.8 and 10.5, display two proton-induced transitions with apparent pK values of 8.1 and 4.7. The spectral changes, over the pH region 6.5 to 10.5, correspond to the high to low spin transition usually observed in ferric hemoproteins. The relaxation time (tau = 3.2 ms at the pK) associated with this transition is closely similar to that observed in Aplysia limacina met-myoglobin, but approximately 1000-fold slower than that of sperm whale met-myoglobin. The spectral changes associated with the more acid transition are in the opposite direction and have not been resolved by the temperature jump method. The rate constants for the reaction of azide with Dicrocoelium dendriticum met-hemoglobin were measured between pH 3.8 and 6.7 by the temperature jump method. Two kinetic schemes, both consistent with the pH dependence of the apparent rate constant for binding of azide, were identified. No objective way of discriminating between the two models is available. However, one of them is amenable to a physical interpretation based on a comparison with the structural, kinetic and spectral properties of other monomeric hemoproteins.

Conformational substates in a protein: structure and dynamics of metmyoglobin at 80 K.

The crystal structure of sperm whale metmyoglobin has been determined at 80 K to a resolution of 2A. The overall structure at 80 K is similar to that at 300 K except that the volume is smaller. Refinement of the structure by the method of restrained least squares (current R = 0.175) permits the assignment of isotropic atomic mean-square displacements to all nonhydrogen atoms. Comparison with the values obtained earlier at 250-300 K indicates that the protein at 80 K is more rigid. The average experimentally determined Debye-Waller factor, B, for the protein is 14A2 at 300 K and 5A2 at 80 K. Plots of backbone mean-square displacement vs. temperature show a discontinuity of slope for at least one-third of all residues. This behavior is in good agreement with the temperature dependence of the mean-square displacement of the heme iron as measured by Mössbauer absorption. The magnitudes of the smallest mean-square displacements observed at 80 K indicate that intramolecular motions can be frozen out to a surprisingly large degree. Even at 80 K, however, some atoms in myoglobin still have mean-square displacements greater than 0.1A2, thus providing evidence for conformational substates.

Solvation of crystalline proteins. Solvent bound in sperm whale metmyoglobin type A crystals at 6.1 and 23.5.degree.C

ADVERTISEMENT RETURN TO ISSUEPREVArticleNEXTSolvation of crystalline proteins. Solvent bound in sperm whale metmyoglobin type A crystals at 6.1 and 23.5.degree.CW. J. Scanlon and D. EisenbergCite this: J. Phys. Chem. 1981, 85, 22, 3251–3256Publication Date (Print):October 1, 1981Publication History Published online1 May 2002Published inissue 1 October 1981https://doi.org/10.1021/j150622a010RIGHTS & PERMISSIONSArticle Views30Altmetric-Citations6LEARN ABOUT THESE METRICSArticle Views are the COUNTER-compliant sum of full text article downloads since November 2008 (both PDF and HTML) across all institutions and individuals. These metrics are regularly updated to reflect usage leading up to the last few days.Citations are the number of other articles citing this article, calculated by Crossref and updated daily. Find more information about Crossref citation counts.The Altmetric Attention Score is a quantitative measure of the attention that a research article has received online. Clicking on the donut icon will load a page at altmetric.com with additional details about the score and the social media presence for the given article. Find more information on the Altmetric Attention Score and how the score is calculated. Share Add toView InAdd Full Text with ReferenceAdd Description ExportRISCitationCitation and abstractCitation and referencesMore Options Share onFacebookTwitterWechatLinked InReddit PDF (850 KB) Get e-Alerts

Resonance Raman and absorption spectroscopic detection of distal histidine--fluoride interactions in human methemoglobin fluoride and sperm whale metmyoglobin fluoride: measurements of distal histidine ionization constants.

The pH dependence of the resonance Raman and absorption spectra of human methemoglobin fluoride (HbIIIF) and sperm whale metmyoglobin fluoride (MbIIIF) has been examined. Both the Raman and absorption spectra of HbIIIF and MbIIIF indicate the existence at alkaline pH of an equilibrium between the hydroxide and fluoride complexes. The absorption maxima of HbIIIF and MbIIIF solutions shift to longer wavelengths as the pH is decreased from neutrality. The Raman data show a corresponding shift of the 461- and 468-cm-1 Fe-F vibrational stretching peaks at pH 7.0 [Asher, S. A., & Schuster, T. M. (1979) Biochemistry 18, 5377] to 399 and 407 cm-1 at acid pH in MbIIIF and HbIIIF, respectively. These shifts are interpreted to result from protonation of the distal histidine and the formation of a hydrogen bond to the fluoride ligand. Measurements of the pH dependence of the absorption and resonance Raman spectra give distal histidine ionization constants (apparent) corresponding to pK = 5.1 (+/- 0.1) for HbIIIF and pK = 5.5 (+/- 0.1) for MbIIIF. An examination of the distal histidine pK values and the frequency of the hydrogen-bonded Fe--F stretching vibration at pH 5.0 of HbIIIF with and without inositol hexaphosphate indicates little difference in the distal histidine--heme distance between the so-called R and T quaternary forms of HbIIIF. These results indicate that the changes in the electronic spectrum of HbIIIF that occur upon switching from the R to the T form do not result from alterations in (1) the iron--fluoride bond distance, (2) the iron out-of-heme plane distance, or (3) the distal histidine--fluoride distance.

Histidine H-2 n.m.r. resonances of sperm whale oxy-, carbonyl-, and met-myoglobin

Seven H-2 histidine n.m.r.resonances of sperm whale metmyoglobin and eleven resonances of both carbonyl- and oxy-myoglobin are assigned and pK′ values determined; there are six titration curves from surface histidines which are similar in the three derivatives, three others which are similar in the carbonyl and oxy derivatives, and one other (the distal histidine) which has a low pK′ in the former and a normal pK′ in the latter derivative.

Heme methyl hyperfine-shifted nuclear magnetic resonance peaks assigned by selective deuteration as indicators of heme-protein interactions in metmyoglobins

The heme methyl resonances in a variety of high-spin, low-spin and spin-equilibrium forms of sperm whale metmyoglobin have been assigned by reconstituting myoglobin with selectively deuterated hemes. Two patterns for the heme methyl hyperfine shifts are observed, one characteristic of the low-spin state and the other typical of the high-spin state. The two protein forms which can change the position of their spin equilibrium significantly with changing temperature exhibit the pattern of the dominant spin state component at any temperature. The different hyperfine shift patterns for the low-spin and high-spin states are concluded to arise not from different heme-protein contacts in the two spin states, but from characteristic differential sensitivities of the dominant spin transfer mechanisms to the same rhombic perturbation.

Resonance Raman examination of axial ligand bonding and spin-state equilibria in metmyoglobin hydroxide and other heme derivatives.

Resonance Raman spectra and excitation profiles have been obtained within the 5700-6300-A absorption band of purified sperm whale metmyoglobin hydroxide (MbIIIOH) solutions. A large enhancement occurs for a Raman peak at 490 cm-1 which is shown by isotopic substitution of 18O for 16O to be almost purely an Fe-O stretch. The Fe-O vibration in MbIIIOH occurs 5 cm-1 to lower energy than the corresponding vibration at 495 cm-1 in human methemoglobin hydroxide (HbIIIOH) [Asher, S., Vickery, L., Schuster, T., & Sauer, K. (1977) Biochemistry 16, 5849], reflecting differences in ligand bonding between Mb(III) and Hb(III). A larger frequency difference (10 cm-1) exists between MbIIIF and HbIIIF for the Fe-F stretch. We do not observe separate Fe-O or Fe-F stretches from the alpha and beta chains of either HbIIIOH or HbIIIF. Excitation profile measurements for MbIIOH indicate that the 5700-6300-A absorption band is composed of two separate absorption bands which result from a high- and a low-spin form of MbIIIOH. The spin-state-sensitive Raman band at 1608 cm-1 reflects the high-spin species and has an excitation profile maximum at about 6000 A while the low-spin Raman band occurs at 1644 cm-1 and shows an excitation profile maximum at 5800 A. The Fe-O stretch at 490 cm-1 has an excitation profile maximum at about 6000 A. The differences in frequency and Raman cross section between the Fe-X vibrations in MbIIIX and HbIIIX (X = OH-, F-) can be related to increases in the out-of-plane iron distance for the high-spin species of MbIIIX. The shift in the 1644-cm-1 MbIIIOH low-spin state Raman band indicative of the heme core size to 1636 cm-1 in HbIIIOH indicates a larger heme core size in HbIIIOH. Raman frequency shifts are used to estimate differences in bond strain energies between MbIIIX and HbIIIX (X = OH-, F-). Previous resonance Raman excitation profile data can be interpreted in terms of separate contributions from different spin-state species.

Proton nuclear magnetic resonance characterization of heme disorder in hemoproteins.

A proton NMR method is described for determining the orientation of a porphyrin within the heme pocket of a hemoprotein. The pattern of the hyperfine-shifted heme methyl resonances in low-spin ferric model compounds is demonstrated to characteristically reflect the position of a localized low-symmetry perturbation on the pi system. The specific assignments via deuteration of the two interconvertible sets of methyl resonances observed for deuteroporphyrin-reconstituted sperm whale metmyoglobin cyanide lead to the conclusion that the low-symmetry perturbations on the heme due to the apo-protein contacts differ for the two protein components by a 180 degrees rotation about the alpha-gamma meso axis. Hence the heme in the reconstituted myoglobin is "disordered" in solution, and the altered functional properties of the reconstituted protein cannot be simply attributed to the local effect of the heme substituent. This NMR technique has applicability for determining the relative heme orientation in related hemoproteins, and may clarify the origin of doubling of heme resonances observed in several native hemoproteins.

A preliminary comparison of metmyoglobin molecules from seal and sperm whale

A preliminary residue by residue comparison of the conformations of the seal and sperm whale metmyoglobin molecules is reported. Data for the comparison were the atomic co-ordinates of all non-hydrogen atoms common to both structures 1184 equivalent pairs of atoms in all. The results of the comparison, though preliminary, indicate how the differences between the primary structures of the two molecules lead to the differences between their crystal structures and affect their interaction with ligands.

Kinetics and mechanism of reduction of sperm-whale metmyoglobin by dithionite ion

The kinetics of reduction of sperm-whale aquometmyoglobin by excess dithionite ion was studied at 25°C, pH 6.9–9.8, and ionic strength 0.50 M (adjusted with potassium nitrate). The dependence of the pseudo first-order rate constant for the disappearance of metmyoglobin on hydrogen and dithionite ion concentrations is ( k 1[S 2O 4 2−] + k 2[S 2O 4 2−] 1 2 )[H +]/( K a + [H +]), where k 1 = 52 ± 11 M −1 s −1, k 2 = 40.9 ± 2.3 M 1 2 s −1, and K a (the ionization constant of the water coordinated to the iron) = (5.79 ± 0.49) × 10 −10 M. The rate law is interpreted on the basis of parallel pathways for the reaction of aquometmyoglobin with S 2O 4 2− and SO 2 −, the hydroxometmyoglobin in equilibrium with the aquo form being unreactive. From a comparison of the rate constants for anation of aquometmyoglobin and the rate constant for reduction by SO 2 −, it is inferred that an outer-sphere redox mechanism is operative. It is postulated that the activation process for reduction of aquometmyoglobin requires considerable stretching of the Fe-OH 2 bond, and this model is utilized to assign an outer-sphere mechanism to the reduction by S 2O 4 2−. The dithionite reduction of cyanometmyoglobin proceeds in two stages. The first stage proceeds at a rate that is dependent on dithionite concentration and corresponds to the outer-sphere reduction of cyanometmyoglobin. The second stage proceeds at a rate that is independent of dithionite concentration and corresponds to the dissociation of the transient cyanodeoxymyoglobin intermediate produced in the first stage. The results of the present investigation are compared with those obtained in three independent, previous studies.

Temperature-jump studies on formate binding to methemoglobin and metmyoglobin

The binding of formate ion to sperm whale metmyoglobin after a temperature-jump is monophasic and not affected by organic phosphate; the Hill coefficient obtained from equilibrium measurements is unity, and there is internal consistency between equilibrium and kinetic results. Formate binding to stripped human methemoglobin, on the other hand, is biphasic. The two relaxation phases can be attributed, on the basis of their equal relaxation amplitudes, to the different kinetic properties of both types of chains. Equilibrium measurements yield a single binding constant. Thus, formate belongs to the class of high-spin ligands which show no binding specificity but strong kinetic heterogeneity for α- and β-chains. There is, however, a lack of consistency between equilibrium and kinetic results, indicating that a reaction scheme which considers only ligand binding to α- and β-chains appears not to be fully adequate. Organic phosphates exert a drastic influence on the kinetics but not on the thermodynamics of ligand binding. In the presence of inositol hexaphosphate the relaxation spectrum is characterized by more than two relaxation processes: A very fast phase—about an order of magnitude faster than the fast process in stripped methemoglobin—appears with high amplitude. The slow relaxation process, however, is only slightly affected. The binding constant of formate obtained from equilibrium measurements is only little changed and the Hill coefficient is 0.97 both in the presence and absence of the phosphate. The phosphate-induced kinetic changes indicate that functionally significant structural changes are introduced in the tertiary structure of one type of chains, presumably the β-chains, to which inositol hexaphosphate is bound.

Proton NMR study of the thermodynamics and kinetics of the acid ⇌ base transitions in reconstituted metmyoglobins

Optical and proton NMR pH titrations of sperm whale metmyoglobin (metMb) in its native form and reconstituted with chemically modified hemes reveal that the p K a for the acid ⇌ base transition decreases as the heme 2,4-substituents are made more electron withdrawing. The proton NMR spectra yields resonances which are averaged over the acidic and basic forms of the protein, but still exhibit significant exchange line broadening. Analysis of this exchange contribution to the linewidth is consistent with the simple kinetic scheme metMb ∗H 2O + OH − ⇌ k 2 k 1 with k 2 = 1.3 ± 0.5 · 10 10 M −1 · s −1 and k 1 = 1.6 ± 0.6 · 10 5 s −1 for the native protein. The effect of electron-withdrawing substituents on the heme increase k 2 and decrease k 1.

Structure of myoglobin refined at 2·0 Å resolution: I. Crystallographic refinement of metmyoglobin from sperm whale

The structure of sperm whale metmyoglobin has been refined using new intensity data to 2·0 A collected on a four-circle diffractometer. Starting with the original phase angles determined by isomorphous replacement with heavy atoms ( Kendrew et al., 1960 ) an electron density map was calculated, and atomic parameters were subjected to real-space refinement. Phases derived from these improved atomic parameters were used to calculate a new electron density map, which served as a basis for the next real-space refinement. Several cycles of this procedure led to an R factor of 0·235. The C-terminal residues and many atoms in side chains which had not been clearly defined in the original map were located, as were 82 solvent molecules, including the two sulphate ions originally described. The iron atom is displaced by 0·40 A from the mean plane of the haem and lies at a distance of 2·13 A from N (e) of the proximal histidine. At least two of the four pyrrole rings are tilted out of the haem plane, while the exact inclination of the other two could not be determined. The haem is in van der Waals' contact with 83 atoms of the globin (excluding hydrogens). These include three large clusters of hydrophobic side chains, each with spare room for a foreign molecule. The tertiary structure of the globin is stabilized by many hydrogen bonds between the various helical and non-helical segments, many of which have been described before ( Watson, 1969 ). Metmyoglobin differs from the α-and β-chains of horse methaemoglobin in the orientation of the haem and in several details of the tertiary structure of the globin, which is not surprising seeing that the number of homologies between myoglobin and the α- and the β-chains are only 32 and 30, respectively ( Dayhoff, 1972 ).

Alkyl glucosides as effective solubilizing agents for bovine rhodopsin. A comparison with several commonly used detergents

The suitability of octyl and decyl-β- d-glucoside as solubilizing agents for the bovine retinal rod outer segment disc membrane was investigated and compared to that of hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide, N,N- dimethyldodecylamine oxide, Emulphogene BC-720 and digitonin. The properties measured included the thermal stability of rhodopsin, regenerability of bleached rhodopsin by addition of 11-cis- retinal , and the rate of denaturation of bleached rhodopsin as measured by changes in the ultraviolet CD spectrum. Denaturing tendencies of the detergents were also evaluated by observing their effects on the absorption and CD spectra of sperm whale metmyoglobin. Our results demonstrate that octyl glucoside is superior to the other detergents, with the possible exception of digitonin, by the above criteria. Unlike digitonin, however, octyl glucoside affords rapid solubilization of the disc membrane and is itself highly soluble. Decyl glucoside has properties equivalent or superior to octyl glucoside, but salts and buffers interfere with its ability to solubilize the disc membrane. The well defined chemical composition, ease of removal by dialysis, and non-denaturing properties of the alkyl glucosides make them attractive detergents for membrane research.

Reactivity difference between haemoglobins. Part XIX

Reactivity difference between haemoglobins. Part XIX

Nuclear magnetic resonance titration curves of histidine ring protons. Human metmyoglobin and the effects of azide on human, horse, and sperm whale metmyoglobins.

Four titrating histidine ring C2 and C4 proton resonances are observed in 220 MHz proton NMR spectra of human metmyoglobin as a function of pH. Values of ionization constants determined from the NMR titration data using an equation describing a simple proton association-dissociation equilibrium are curves (1) 6.6, (2) 7.0, (3) 5.8, and (4) 7.4. Four histidine residues have also been found to be solvent-accessible in human metmyoglobin by carboxymethylation studies (Harris, C.M., and Hill, R.L. (1969) J. Biol. Chem. 244, 2195-2203). Two of the titration curves (3 and 4) deviate significantly from the chemical shift values normally observed for histidine C2 proton resonances. Curve 3, with a low pKa, is shifted downfield at high values of pH and also exhibits a second minor inflection with a pKa value of 8.8. On the other hand, the high pKa curve, 4, is shifted upfield at all values of pH. The characteristics of the NMR titration curves with the lowest and highest pKa values (3 and4) are very similar to curves observed previously with sperm whale and horse metmyoglobins (Cohen, J.S., Hagenmaier, H., Pollard, H., and Schechter, A.N. (1972) J. Mol. Biol. 71, 513-519). These results indicate that the histidine residues from which these curves are derived have unusual and characteristic environments in this series of homologous proteins. The NMR spectra of all three metmyoglobins are changed extensively as a result of azide ion binding, indicating conformational changes affecting the environments of several imidazole side chains. The presence of azide ion causes a selective downfield chemical shift for the low pKa curve and a selective upfield chemical shift for the high pKa curve in all three proteins. Azide also abolishes the second inflection seen in the low pKa curve at high pH. In addition to these effects, the presence of azide ion permits the observation of two additional titrating proton resonances for all three metmyoglobins. Increasing the azide to protein ratio at several fixed values of pH yields results which show that a slow exchange process is occurring with each of the metmyoglobins. In the azide titration studies the maximum changes in the NMR spectra occurred at approximately equimolar concentrations. The NMR results for these proteins in the absence and presence of azide ion are related to x-ray crystallographic studies of sperm whale metmyoglobin and the known alkylation properties of the histidine residues. Tentative assignments of the titrating resonances observed are suggested.