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Genetic Aspects of Hemoglobin Synthesis
Author(s) -
Schmidt Berthold
Publication year - 1972
Publication title -
angewandte chemie international edition in english
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.831
H-Index - 550
eISSN - 1521-3773
pISSN - 0570-0833
DOI - 10.1002/anie.197205761
Subject(s) - myoglobin , hemoglobin , hemeprotein , gene , biochemistry , genetic code , pigment , chemistry , heme , molecule , function (biology) , methemoglobin , mutation , biology , genetics , organic chemistry , enzyme
Abstract The blood pigment hemoglobin (Hb) occurs in red blood cells in a higher concentration than the other proteins which are present. It is therefore particularly suitable for the investigation of genetically induced changes in protein molecules. Unlike the monomeric myoglobin (Mb) of muscle, the blood pigment is tetrameric. Several types of subunits are known that can tetramerize to hemoglobins having different properties. The information for all hemoproteins probably originated from the same primary gene. Doublets of this primary gene have developed differently, and now code different protein species. It is possible to establish from the Hb molecule the possible consequences of a mutation to the conformation and function of a protein molecule.