Biopolymers and cell. 2003; 19 (6): 499 - 503

Intramolecular structure and oxidative modification of haemoglobin major fractions of some mammalia and fishes representatives

S. V. Konoshenko, A. A. Gidulyanov

Philogenetic particularities of a total volume of hydrophobic cavities and hydrophobicitiy of molecular central pans of mammalian and fish haemoglobins have been revealed. It has been determined that the vertebrates' haemoglobins undergo oxidative modification in erythrocytes, the level of which is species specific and depends on the protein intramolecular structure. A direct relationship between the total volume of molecular hydrophobic cavities of mammalian haemoglobins and the level of oxidative modification base products has been shown under initiation of the oxidative processes. A reverse relation between corresponding indices has been found for fishes. haemoglobins before initiation of oxidative processes.