Isolation and sequencing of a cDNA for an unusual hemoglobin from the parasitic nematode Pseudoterranova decipiens.

A cDNA clone encoding a 333-amino acid hemoglobin was isolated from the nematode Pseudoterranova decipiens. The protein contains an 18-amino acid hydrophobic signal sequence and has a calculated mass of 37.6 kDa in the mature form. The predicted protein reveals an internal duplication of a 154-amino acid domain (51% identity). Both domains have significant sequence homology to other primitive hemoglobins, in agreement with a duplication event. Hydrophobicity plots reveal identical strongly hydrophobic regions in each domain, which are potential heme binding sites. This confirms previous suggestions that nematode hemoglobins can have two heme groups per molecule. In addition, each domain contains several conserved histidine motifs that may serve as potential copper binding sites. This result provides further evidence that hemoglobins may have evolved from a primitive cytochrome-like molecule.