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[Hemoglobin, from microorganisms to man: a single structural motif, multiple functions].

Henri Wajcman1, Laurent Kiger

  • 1Inserm U468, hôpital Henri-Mondor, 94010 Créteil, France. Henri.Wajcman@im3.inserm.fr

Comptes Rendus Biologies
|January 11, 2003
PubMed
Summary

Haemoglobins evolved from protecting organisms from toxic gases to oxygen transport. Their diverse functions and structures across species highlight varied evolutionary paths and physiological roles.

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Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Molecular Biology

Context:

  • Haemoglobins (Hbs) are ancient proteins found across diverse life forms, from microorganisms to complex animals.
  • Their structure, characterized by 6-8 helices folding around a heme group, is conserved.
  • Genomic studies trace Hb evolution back 1.8 billion years, coinciding with atmospheric oxygen increase.

Purpose:

  • To explore the evolutionary trajectory of haemoglobin structure and function.
  • To investigate the diverse physiological roles of haemoglobins beyond oxygen transport.
  • To understand the adaptation of haemoglobins in different ecological niches and organisms.

Summary:

  • Microbial haemoglobins, including flavohaemoglobins, truncated haemoglobins, and bacterial haemoglobins, exhibit high oxygen affinity and may have served protective roles.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Plant haemoglobins (non-symbiotic and symbiotic/leghaemoglobins) are involved in energy metabolism and nitrogen fixation.
  • Invertebrate haemoglobins display remarkable diversity in size, structure, and function, including roles in sulfide acquisition and phototrophism, contrasting with the vertebrate tetrameric form.

    • Impact:

    • Reveals the ancient origins and multifaceted evolution of haemoglobin.
    • Highlights the adaptability of haemoglobin to diverse physiological demands, from oxygen scavenging to complex metabolic roles.
    • Underscores the importance of considering functional data alongside structural information for a comprehensive understanding of protein evolution.