GLOBIN
Here are the major points summarizing the text on globin gene clusters and hemoglobin:
Globin Gene Clusters:
- Globin is encoded in two nonallelic gene clusters: β-globin gene cluster on chromosome 11 and α-globin gene cluster on chromosome 16.
- The β-globin gene cluster contains an embryonic ε-globin gene, two fetal γ-globin genes, a major adult β-globin gene, and a minor adult δ-globin gene.
- The α-globin gene cluster contains an embryonic ζ-globin gene and duplicated α-globin genes with identical proteins.
- Hemoglobin production begins with embryonic hemoglobins: Gower I, Gower II, Portland I, and Portland II.
- Fetal hemoglobin (HbF) production starts at 6-8 weeks of gestation, peaks during mid-gestation, and falls to <1% of total hemoglobin during the first 6 months of extrauterine life.
- Adult hemoglobin A (HbA) production follows a pattern reciprocal to that of HbF.
- Hemoglobin composition of normal adults is >95% HbA, ~1% HbF, and 2-3% HbA2.
- Hemoglobin is subject to posttranslational modifications, the most important being the nonenzymatic glycosylation of HbA forming the adduct HbA1c.
Hemoglobin Structure:
- All globin polypeptides have similar but not identical primary structures. α-Globins contain 141 amino acids, and β-like globins have 146 amino acids.
- The primary structure dictates the secondary structure of globin into α-helical sections joined by small nonhelical stretches.
- Each globin chain folds into a tertiary conformation known as the globin fold, where charged amino acid residues face the exterior of the molecules and uncharged residues face the hydrophobic interior.
- The iron-containing tetrapyrrole heme moiety is protected from oxidation and located between two of the helical segments; O2 loading and unloading occur when heme iron is in its reduced ferrous form.
- Globin gene mutations affecting critical heme-binding amino acid residues allow iron to be oxidized, forming methemoglobin, which has high O2 affinity and does not release O2 in tissues.
- Dimers of α- and non-α-globin chains reversibly assemble into tetramers, forming a quaternary structure.
Hemoglobin Function:
- Hemoglobin transports O2 from lungs to tissues and carbon dioxide (CO2) from tissues to lungs.
- Hemoglobin is a nitrate reductase that releases nitric oxide (NO) from nitrite to promote vasodilation.
- Oxygen binding is defined by the sigmoidal shape of the hemoglobin-O2 dissociation curve.
- The P50 is a point on this curve that indicates the partial pressure of O2 where hemoglobin is half saturated.
- The P50 is influenced by the binding of 2,3-bisphosphoglycerate, pH, and temperature.
- The conformation of hemoglobin fully saturated with O2 is known as the R or relaxed state; desaturated hemoglobin is in the T or tense state.
- Hemoglobin variants that decrease P50 are characterized by isolated erythrocytosis as compensation for hypoxia.
- Variants with increased P50 sometimes are accompanied by cyanosis and anemia as hemoglobin becomes unsaturated and O2 delivery is enhanced.
- Mutations of residues critical for heme binding, R-T transitions, or tetramer stability cause hemoglobinopathies characterized by hemolytic anemia