title: 31P NMR probes of sipunculan erythrocytes containing the O2-carrying protein hemerythrin.
abstract: Reported are the first examinations by 31P NMR of erythrocytes containing the non-heme iron O2-carrying protein hemerythrin (Hr). Intact coelomic erythrocytes from the sipunculids Phascolopsis gouldii and Themiste zostericola were shown by 31P NMR to contain O-phosphorylethanolamine and 2-aminoethylphosphonate as the major soluble phosphorus metabolites. This combination of major metabolites appears to be unique to sipunculan erythrocytes. Nucleoside triphosphates and mannose 1-phosphate were present in lower concentrations. The concentration of O-phosphorylethanolamine within P. gouldii erythrocytes was established to be greater than 20 mM. T. zostericola erythrocytes contained relatively high levels of 2-aminoethylphosphonate (on the order of 0.1 M) and lower levels of O-phosphorylethanolamine compared with those of P. gouldii. For P. gouldii and T. zostericola the intracellular pHs were determined to be 7.2 +/- 0.1 and 7.1 +/- 0.1, respectively, in air-equilibrated erythrocytes, and 6.5 +/- 0.1 in anaerobic P. gouldii erythrocytes. O-Phosphorylethanolamine was found to bind weakly to P. gouldii metHr (Kf approximately 7 M-1). This interaction is best characterized by either negative cooperativity or nonspecific binding. O-Phosphorylethanolamine strongly inhibits azide binding to the iron site of P. gouldii metHr at pH 7.2. The rate of azide binding decreases by approximately 85-fold in the presence of 0.33 M O-phosphorylethanolamine. However, neither O-phosphorylethanolamine nor 2-aminoethylphosphonate at 0.33 M was found to have any significant effect on O2 affinity of P. gouldii deoxyHr. Alternative functions for the two metabolites are suggested.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Iowa State University, Ames 50011.
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Robitaille
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Kurtz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000845:Annelida; D001667:Binding, Competitive; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000032:analysis*; D006422:Hemerythrin / Q000097:blood*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008667:Metalloproteins / Q000097:blood*; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D002352:Carrier Proteins; D006422:Hemerythrin; D008667:Metalloproteins; C019004:methemerythrin; D010100:Oxygen