Evidence for the existence of a low spin complex in acidic methemoglobin: its structure and formation.

By means of electron spin resonance and magneto-optical rotation, specific low spin complexes in acidic methemoglobin are obtained. The formation of these complexes is explained by a specific stereochemical arrangement of the distal histidine in the absence of allosteric effectors inducing the formation of a low spin ligand at room temperature. At low temperature, however, the distal histidine is directly bound to the heme iron. As the formation of the low spin complexes depends on allosteric effectors it is suggested that via the distal histidine the affinity of heme iron ligands is modified.