1H-NMR Investigation of the Influence of the Heme Orientation on Functional Properties of Myoglobin

There are two interconverting forms of myoglobin, which differ in the orientation of the heme by a 180 degrees rotation around the alpha,gamma-meso axis; the proteins possessing the same heme orientation, as found in the single crystal, and the reversed heme orientation are called the major and minor forms, respectively. Structures and functional properties of these two forms have been investigated by NMR. Heme peripheral side-chain and non-coordinated amino acid proton resonances of the minor form in its met-cyano form have been assigned and the comparison of the shift between the corresponding resonances of the two forms revealed that the heme electronic structure is not largely influenced by the heme rotation. On the other hand, the exchange rate of His E7 NepsilonH proton of the minor form is larger by a factor of 3-5 than that of the major one, indicating that the stability of the hydrogen bond between Fe-bound ligand and His E7 is slightly weaker in the minor form that in the major one. The rate of autoxidation of oxy-myoglobin and azide affinity of met-aquo myoglobin were also found to depend on the orientation of the heme.