Further studies on the functional properties of hemoglobin M Hyde Park

The oxygen binding properties of Hb M Hyde Park (92 beta, histidine leads to tyrosine) were reinvestigated directing special care to testing the wave length-dependence of the oxygen equilibrium curve and to stabilizing hemoglobin samples using a methemoglobin reductase system. There was no indication that the Hb M Hyde Park fraction separated on a DEAE Sephadex column contained an unknown hemoglobin derivative which appeared in earlier studies. Contrary to earlier observations, there was no significant wave length-dependence of the equilibrium curve of Hb M Hyde Park, verifying the spectrophotometric determination of oxygen saturation. The reductase system satisfactorily reduced the normal alpha chain met hemes without reducing the abnormal beta chain met hemes. The oxygen binding property of Hb M Hyde Park is characterized by 3 to 4 times higher oxygen affinity than that for normal hemoglobin, complete loss of cooperativity, and substantially preserved Bohr effect. These results are consistent in part but not entirely with those observed by earlier investigators. The oxygen affinity of Hb M Hyde Park is between the affinity of the oxy structure and the deoxy structure of normal hemoglobin. Oxygen equilibrium curve of red cell suspension and whole hemolysate containing Hb M Hyde Park were biphasic, indicating that Hb M Hyde Park also exhibited the high oxygen affinity in those samples.