Allosteric transition in triply met-haemoglobin.

Methaemoglobin undergoes a transition to a T-like form at acid pH in the presence of strong effectors such as inositol hexakisphosphate (IHP), as evidenced by spectroscopic and oxidation potential measurements. Since oxygen and CO do not bind to the ferric haems, it is difficult to compare the properties of the R-met and T-met forms with those of ferrous haemoglobin. We have therefore prepared 90% oxidized samples, where the dominant signal for ligand (oxygen or CO) binding is due to tetramers with three met haems. Measurements were made of the oxygen equilibrium curves and CO rebinding kinetics after photodissociation. Without effectors, the partially oxidized samples show mainly R-state properties. Addition of IHP at acid pH induces an increase in T-state behaviour, as indicated by a lower oxygen affinity and a higher fraction of the slow bimolecular component for CO rebinding.