[On the nature of rat hemoglobin heterogeneity]

Rat hemoglobin was fractionated by different methods. It is shown that the heterogenic system of hemoglobin includes six main fractions, the appearance of which is determined by 2 alpha- and 3 beta-similar chains. A subunit composition is established for hemoglobins certain fractions and their tetrameric structure is as follows: formula: (see text). A greater number of fractions when separating hemoglobin by high-sensitive methods is induced by its conformational changes. The surface of SH-groups of globin and the state of hem iron are found to be essentially significant in this process. The data are presented characterizing the isoelectric points, quantitative content of the fraction as well as of certain chains in the whole hemoglobin. A problem on the nature of the isolated subunits heterogeneities is under discussion.