title: Whale (Balaenoptera physalus) haemoglobin: primary structure, functional characterisation and computer modelling studies.
abstract: The functional properties of haemoglobin from the Mediterranean whale Balaenoptera physalus have been studied as functions of heterotropic effector concentration and temperature. Particular attention has been given to the effect of carbon dioxide and lactate since the animal is specialised for prolonged dives often in cold water. The molecular basis of the functional behaviour and in particular of the weak interaction with 2,3-diphosphoglycerate is discussed in the light of the primary structure and of computer modelling. On these bases, it is suggested that the A2 (Pro-->Ala) substitution observed in the beta chains of whale haemoglobin may be responsible for the displacement of the A helix known to be a key structural feature in haemoglobins that display an altered interaction with 2,3-diphosphoglycerate as compared with human haemoglobin. The functional and structural results, discussed in the light of a previous study on the haemoglobin from the Arctic whale Balaenoptera acutorostrata, give further insights into the regulatory mechanisms of the interactive effects of temperature, carbon dioxide and lactate.
authors.affiliation: Department of Sciences Applied to Biosystems, University of Cagliari-Cittadella Universitaria, I-09042 Monserrato CA, Italy.
authors.forename: Marcella
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Corda
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tamburrini
authors.forename: Maria C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: De Rosa
authors.forename: Maria T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Sanna
authors.forename: Antonella
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fais
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Olianas
authors.forename: Mariagiuseppina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pellegrini
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Giardina
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: di Prisco
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000737:chemistry; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000502:physiology*; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010100:Oxygen / Q000378:metabolism; D017433:Protein Structure, Secondary; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D012984:Software; D013696:Temperature; D013997:Time Factors; D014357:Trypsin / Q000494:pharmacology; D014907:Whales
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D014357:Trypsin; D010100:Oxygen