Distribution of the iron-heme displacement as resulting from myoglobin conformational substrates: an AOM approach to the interpretation of the EPR spectra

Biophys Chem. 1993 Apr;46(2):117-29. doi: 10.1016/0301-4622(93)85019-e.

Abstract

The electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) low-temperature spectra of high spin ferric myoglobin samples in different solvent composition have been analyzed in terms of a distribution of the energy differences delta 1 and delta 2 for the iron low-lying electronic states. The widths of these distributions, which are found to be dependent on the solvent composition, have been correlated to the presence of a frozen ensemble of conformational substrates. A dedicated analysis based on the angular overlap method (AOM) has allowed us to work out a quantitative relationship between the delta 1 and delta 2 distributions and the spread of the iron-heme displacement; this being a structural parameter relevant for the biological functionality of the protein. The observed dependence of the iron-heme displacement distribution on the solvent composition is discussed.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Electron Spin Resonance Spectroscopy
  • Heme / chemistry*
  • Horses
  • Iron / chemistry*
  • Myoglobin / chemistry*
  • Protein Conformation

Substances

  • Myoglobin
  • Heme
  • Iron