Chapter 7: Heme Chemistry Flashcards
Heme
Ferrous protoporphyrin IX
Structure of hemoproteins
4 parole rings united by 4 methenyl (methene) bridges.
Methyl
-CH3
Vinyl
-CH=CH2
Propionate
-CH CH2 COOH
Hemoproteins
- Hemoglobin.
- Myoglobin.
- Cytochromes.
- Catalase.
- Peroxidase.
- NO synthase.
- Tryptophan pyrolyse.
Myoglobin and hemoglobin
Conjugated proteins formed of heme attached to a basic protein (polypeptide chain).
Myoglobin
1 heme and 1 polypeptide chain (apomyoglobin).
Hemoglobin
4 heme and 4 polypeptide chains (globin).
How many helical does each polypeptide chain is formed of?
7-8 helices.
How are the amino acids named?
- Each helix is given a letter A, B, C… starting from the N terminal.
- Each amino acid is termed by a letter indicating its helix and a number indicating its position in the helix starting from the N terminal.
- Eg. Histidine F8.
Heme site
Present in a pocket between helix E and F called heme pocket.
The 2 propionate projects outward on the surface.
How is heme attached to a polypeptide chain?
- Histidine F8 (proximal histidine).
- Hydrophobic interactions with surrounding non polar amino acids.
How many coordinations can Fe+2 of heme form?
5 or 6 coordinations:
1. 4 coordinations with the 4 nitrogen’s of the 4 pyrrole rings ( in the porphyrin ring).
2. 5th coordination with proximal histidine ( histidine F8).
3. 6th coordination with O2.
Both 5th and 6th coordination are perpendicular to the plane of the ring.
Importance of protein parts: apomyoglobin and globin.
- Makes heme soluble.
- Prevents diffusion of the heme from RBC’s to plasma.
- Keeps iron in ferrous state (heme pocket is surrounded by non polar amino acids) and prevents oxidation of heme into hematin and prevent formation of heme oxygen heme complex.
- Decreases affinity of heme to CO from 25,000 to 200.
- Responsible for the sigmoid shape of O2 dissociation curve of hemoglobin.
Decreases affinity of heme to CO 25,000 to 200
- Heme has a higher affinity to CO than O2.
- CO binds to heme at the same binding site of O2 which will lead to hemoglobin not being able to carry O2.
- The angle between 1st and 2nd oxygen atoms is about 121 degrees.
- The preferred position for CO is:
- Fe
- C
- O
Perpendicular to the plane of the ring. - When O2 binds to heme, the 1st oxygen perpendicular to the plane of the ring and the bond between and 1st and 2nd oxygen is 121 degrees.
- Distal histidine in polypeptide chain produces steric hindrance stabilizing O2 binding and destabilizing CO binding.
- CO is produced in very small amounts in the body from catabolism of Hb.
Myoglobin site
Muscles (skeletal and cardiac).
- Gives muscles it’s red color.
Myoglobin function
Storage of O2.
Myoglobin affinity to O2
Higher affinity to O2 than hemoglobin.
Myoglobin structure
1 heme and 1 polypeptide chain (apomyoglobin).
Apomyoglobin
- 153 aa.
- 8 helices (A to H).
- Soluble in water:
Polar amino acids are present outside and non polar amnio acids are present inside (wavy interior) except for Histidine F8 and E7.
Hemoglobin site
RBC’s
Hemoglobin function
- Carry O2 from lung to tissues and CO2 from tissues to lung.
- Hb/HbO2 system acts as a buffer in RBC’s.
Hemoglobin affinity to O2
Lower affinity to O2 than myoglobin.
Hemoglobin structure
- 4 heme and 4 polypeptide chains:
- Hb A: 98%.
- Hb A2: 2%.
Hb A
Major adult hemoglobin.
Hb A globin
Formed of 4 polypeptide chains (2a and 2B) arranged in 2 dimers (aB)1 and (aB)2.
Each dimer is formed of 1a and 1B held together by hydrophobic interactions.
The 2 dimers are less tightly held together by?
- Hydrogen bond.
- Ionic interactions (salt bridges).
Globin structure number
Tetrameric.
How many helices is the alpha chain of hemoglobin formed of?
141aa arranged in 7 helices.
How many helices is the beta chain of hemoglobin formed of?
146 aa arranged in 8 helices. (Similar to apomyoglobin).
How many forms of hemoglobin are there?
2 forms: R form and T Form.
How does the rotation of dimers occur?
As the 2 dimers are less tightly bound together, this allows the rotation of 1 dimer 15 degrees relative to the other by oxygenation.
Ability of hemoglobin to reversible bind with O2 is affected by?
- O2.
- PH of the environment (Bohr effect).
- CO2.
- Availability of 2,3 biphosphoglycerate (2,3 BPG).
- CO.
All these factors are called Allosteric effectors. Binding of these effectors at one site on Hb affects binding of O2 to heme groups at other locations of the molecule.
Oxygen binding site
O2 binds to Hb and lies in O2 binding site (O2 pocket).
Oxygen is coordinated to?
Fe+2 (6th coordination position).
What stabilizes the binding of O2 to Fe+2?
Histidine E7 (distal histidine).
Oxygenation
- A cooperative process: oxygenation helps more oxygenation.
- Step 4 is easier than step 3, step 3 is easier than step 2 and so on.
- The affinity of Hb to the last O2 is 300 times greater than the 1st O2.
What is the cause of the sigmoidal shape of O2?
Cooperative binding of O2 to Hb is the cause of the O2 dissociation curve of Hb.
Why is the cooperative binding of O2 the cause of the sigmoidal shape?
Binding of O2 to 1 of the polypeptide chains will lead to rupture of 2 salt bridges which increases the affinity of other subunits to O2. So, when all subunits bind to O2, it will lead to rupture of 8 salt bridges and Hb is converted from T form to R form.
T form oxygenation
Deoxygenated
R form oxygenation
Oxygenated
T form ionic bonds
More ionic bonds.
R form ionic bonds
Less ionic bonds
T form mobility
Less mobile
R form mobility
Rotates 15 degrees
T form affinity to O2
Lower affinity to O2
R form affinity to O2
High affinity to O2
T form is stabilized by?
- Deoxygenation.
- H+ (protonation).
- CO2.
- 2,3 BPG.
R form is stabilized by?
- Oxygenation.
- Deprotonation.
- Removal of CO2 and 2,3 BPG.
T form name
Tense or Taut
R form name
Relaxed
Changes accompanied with the transition of T form to R form: absence of O2
- Porphyrin ring is slightly curved upwards.
- Fe+2 lies above the plane of the ring by 0.04 nm.
Binding of O2 causes:
- Porphyrin ring is flattened.
- Oxygenation of Hb is associated with rupture of 8 salt bridges.
- The 2 dimers rotate upon each other by 15 degrees.
- Pulling of Fe2+ pulls proximal histidine pulls helix F, which release 2 protons from imidazole ring of histidine 146 of B chain and N terminal amino groups.
- The liberated hydrogen ions bind with bicarbonate and forms carbonic acid that is broken by carbonic anyhydrase to CO2 (lost by the lungs) and H2O.