Resonance Raman study on the active-site structure of a cooperative hemerythrin.

Resonance Raman spectra were observed for the oxy and azidomet forms of a cooperative hemerythrin (Hr) isolated from Lingula unguis and a noncooperative Hr from Siphonosoma cumanense. The O-O stretching frequency of the oxy derivative of the L. unguis Hr was lower in the high-affinity form generated at pH 7.6 than in the low-affinity form generated at pH 6.2, while that of the S. cumanense Hr did not change at those two pH values. The Fe-O-Fe symmetric stretching mode of L. unguis azidomet-Hr exhibited a frequency shift between pH 7.6 and 6.2, while that of S. cumanense was not shifted. However, the corresponding band of the oxy form did not show a pH-dependent frequency change. Therefore, it is noted that the azidomet form is not a suitable model for studying a mechanism of cooperativity, contrary to the structural similarity between the oxy and azidomet forms. The Fe-O2 as well as Fe-N3 stretching frequencies were found to have no relation with the oxygen affinity. Upon exchange of solvent from H2O to D2O, the O-O and Fe-O2 stretching modes of L. unguis Hr were shifted to higher and lower frequencies, respectively, and their magnitudes were the same for the high- and low-affinity forms. The same frequency shifts were observed for S. cumanense Hr.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)