Chapter 3 Binding and Molecular Recognition Flashcards
What do both myoglobin and hemoglobin bind to?
Heme
Function of myoglobin vs hemoglobin
- myoglobin: binds oxygen from blood + stores it for when muscles expend energy or need to convert molecules from food into useable forms
- hemoglobin: found in blood, transports oxygen from lungs to tissue
What is L1/2?
The concentration of L (ligand) at which half the receptors are bound to L and half are free
when half of the receptors (R) are bound to a ligand (L)
Molecular recognition
The ability for certain molecules to bind to one another
- forms complexes w/ particular 3D shapes and well defined properties
How can we determine how tightly R binds L?
By comparing the percentage of RL with the concentration of added L
How does an estrogen receptor recognize estradiol and not testosterone (very similar structure)?
The receptor has a narrow pocket lined with hydrophobic residues that fit neatly around estrogen ligands (but sterically clash w/ some other ligands like testosterone)
Proteins (receptors) can selectively bind certain molecules.
- have binding pockets that are complementary to ligand shapes
Does the strength of binding change with ligands that are mirror images of each other?
Yes, 2 estrogen ligands that are mirror images of each other showed a difference in L1/2 values.
Subtle features of ligands can be recognized
Why is receptor ligand binding a dynamic process?
Receptors and ligands are constantly associating and disocciating.
- at equilibrium and L1/2, each receptor is constantly releasing and rebinding ligands
at equilibrium, the dissociation and association rates must balance
Fractional saturation (Y)
The fraction of all possible binding sites that contain bound oxygen
- 0 (all sites empty) to 1 (all sites filled)
Oxygen binding curve
Plots the fractional saturation vs the concentration of oxygen
concentration measured by its partial pressure (pO2) in torrs
Metmyoglobin
Myoglobin bound to iron in the Fe3+ (ferric) state
Myoglobin’s oxygen binding curve
Hyperbolix (fractional saturation increases quickly, then plateaus)
P50 on for oxygen-binding curves
Half saturation of the binding site (analagous to L1/2)
When does P50 occur for human myoglobin?
at 2 torrs –> myoglobin has high affinity for oxygen
What makes up the oxygen binding site in myoglobin?
Heme
L1/2 for estrodial binding to estrogen receptors?
L1/2 = 1 nM or 10^-9 M
What does a heme group consist of?
A central iron atom and protoporphyrin IX (4 linked pyrrole rings)
iron is in the center of the 4 rings binded to N on each ring
In the heme group, what form must the iron be in to bind oxygen?
In the ferrous (Fe2+) form
How many bonds can iron form (in a heme)
6 bonds
- 4 bonds with the 4 pyrrole rings on protoporphyrin
- 2 bonds on sites known as the fifth coordination site and sixth coordination site
Why does iron have to be in the ferrous Fe2+ form to bind oxygen?
Because once oxygen binds, the EN of O will pull an electron away from Fe2+ –> Fe3+ becomes smaller and can fit into the protoporphyrin ring.
there is partial transfer of an electron from iron to oxygen
What are the functions of the fifth and sixth coordination sites for heme?
- fifth: occupied by imidazole ring of histidine residue from proximal histidine protein
- sixth: binds oxygen
Deoxymyoglobin
myoglobin in its oxygen-free form
- iron is in the (ferrous) Fe2+ oxidation state and the sixth site is unoccupied
- iron also lies slightly outside of the plane of the porphyrin
Oxymyoglobin
myoglobin in it’s oxygen-bound form
- once oxygen binds, the EN of it pulls electron from iron –> Fe2+ becomes Fe3+ –> iron becomes smaller and can fit into protoporphyrin ring
Why must oxygen be released as dioxygen and not as a superoxide ion?
- superoxide is very reactive and can be damaging to biological materials
- it would leave iron in the ferric (Fe3+) state where it can’t bind oxygen again