W4/L6 Flashcards
What is the oxygen transport metalloprotein in the RBCs of vertebrates?
Hb
What metal does Hb contain?
Iron
What proportion of RBC dry content does Hb comprise?
97%
What proportion of carbon dioxide is carried on Hb?
15%
What’s the CO2-Hb complex called?
Carbaminohaemoglobin
What regulatory molecule does Hb also carry?
Nitric oxide
Where is Hb’s NO bound?
To a globin thiol group
What is the benefit of NO being released from Hb at the same times as the O2?
Relaxation of vascular walls
Enhances gas diffusion
What was the first protein structure solved?
Hb
Who earned the Nobel prize for solving the structure of Hb?
Kendrew and Perutz
How is foetal Hb different to adult Hb?
It has gamma subunits instead of beta ones
What change in environment cal Hb adapt to?
Altitude
