title: Analysis of the global architecture of hemoglobin A2 by heme binding studies and molecular modeling.
abstract: The kinetics of CNProto- and CNDeutero-hemin binding to apohemoglobin A2 was investigated in a stopped-flow device in 0.05 M potassium phosphate buffer, pH 7, at 10 degrees C. The overall kinetic profile exhibited multiple phases: Phases I-IV corresponding with heme insertion (8.5-13 x 10(7) M(-1) s(-1)), local structural rearrangement (0.21-0.23 s(-1)), global alphadelta structural event (0.071-0.098 s(-1)), and formation of the Fe-His bond (0.009-0.012 s(-1)), respectively. Kinetic differences observed between apohemoglobin A2 and apohemoglobin A (previously studied) prompted an analysis of the structures of beta and delta chains through molecular modeling. This revealed a structural repositioning of the residues not only at, but also distant from the site of the amino acid substitutions, specifically those involved in the heme contact and subunit interface. A significant global change was observed in the structure of the exon-coded 3 region and provided additional evidence for the designation of this as the subunit assembly domain.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, College of Arts and Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Lowell 01854, USA.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Vasudevan
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: McDonald
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D003198:Computer Simulation; D006418:Heme / Q000378:metabolism*; D006443:Hemoglobin A2 / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011485:Protein Binding; D011487:Protein Conformation
chemical_list: D006418:Heme; D006443:Hemoglobin A2