Arctic life adaptation--I. The function of reindeer hemoglobin

• Main Authors: Giardina, B, el Sherbini, S, Mathisen, S, Tyler, N, Nuutinen, M, Bårdgard, A, Brix, O., CONDO', SAVERIO GIOVANNI
• Other Authors: Condo', Sg, Brix, O
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 1989
• Subjects: Oxygen; Animal; Hemoglobin; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Temperature; Diphosphoglyceric Acid; Chloride; Adaptation; Physiological; Inositol Phosphate; Reindeer; Arctic Region; Blood Protein Electrophoresis; Settore BIO/10 - BIOCHIMICA; Arctic; Rangifer tarandus
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/2108/54804

1. The functional properties of hemoglobin from the reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus L.) are characterized as a function of pH, temperature and organic phosphate concentration. 2. Alongside overall similarities shared with most vertebrate hemoglobins, hemoglobin from the reindeer shows significant differences with respect to the effect of both organic phosphates and chloride anions. 3. The limited effect of temperature on oxygen binding (delta H = -4 kcal/mol O2) could be regarded as an interesting case of molecular adaptation to extreme environmental conditions.