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Following the development of a nondestructive synthetic procedure for rapid production of des-Val1-myoglobin in large quantities, the synthesis of a series of myoglobin derivatives varying in structure and charge in the NH2-terminal region was accomplished. In comparison to the untreated myoglobin, the des-Val1-myoglobin was found to possess at low pH a decreased stability and an increased net positive charge in the pH range 5.5-8.5. While the elevated net positive charge was no longer apparent after removal of the second residue, the instability of the molecule was found to be sharply increased. Substitutions of the first residue, directed toward elucidating its structural importance, included glutamic acid, lysine, and glycine. Addition of any of the three amino acids to the des-Val1-myoglobin was found to restore much of the acid stability, with the [Gly1]myoglobin appearing nearly identical with the native molecule. All three semisynthetic myoglobins showed potentiometric titration curves characteristic of their respective, substituted residue. Carbamylation of the NH2 terminal of myoglobin and des-Val1-myoglobin yielded two nearly identical molecules in terms of all physical properties examined. Consequently, it was concluded that the first residue primarily serves the function of maintaining the positively charged NH2 terminus a certain distance away from the beginning of the A helix and from the charge pair interaction of Lys-133 with Glu-6. In addition, through physical measurements of the des-Val1,Leu2-myoglobin prior and subsequent to carbamylation of the NH2 terminus, it was apparent that the stabilization conferred on the des-Val1-myoglobin by the second residue was dependent to a large degree upon the hydrophobic interactions of its side chain.

The synthesis of a series of myoglobins substituted in the amino-terminal residue to provide variation in the aliphatic nature of the side chain and enrichment in 13C was accomplished by semisynthetic methods. The replacements for valine, the native first residue, included 13C-enriched glycine, alanine, valine, leucine, and isoleucine. The products were extensively characterized and found to be virtually indistinguishable by most physical methods. 13C NMR spectroscopy showed significant differences in the amino-terminal pK value, ranging from 7.72 for [Gly1]myoglobin to 7.15 for [Leu1]myoglobin. Consideration of the electrostatic effects of the charge matrix indicated a balance of interactions at this site not significantly altered by these variations in the side chain. By examination of the crystal structure, consideration of earlier work regarding the interactions of the side chain of Leu-2, and data regarding the motions of the terminal residue, it was concluded that the interaction of the side chain of the first residue with the hydrophobic cluster formed primarily by close contact of invariant residues Leu-2 and Leu-137 was the primary cause for the reduction in terminal pK values seen for the larger aliphatics. By restricting the freedom of the residue, this interaction limits the available hydration volume and consequently favors the unprotonated form of the amine. The concurrent observation of both functional elements in the series of alpha-amino-terminal residues brings out the interrelated consequences for the two categories of solvent interactions controlling structural and functional properties in a graded way.

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O s k a r O s t e r , G e o r g e W. N e i r e i t e r , and F r a n k R. N . G u r d Deuteration, 2,4-Diacetyldeuterohemin-OMeThe methyl group of the acetyl groups in 2,4-diacetyldeuterohemin-OMe has been selectively deuterated. After removal of the iron, D 6-2,4-diacetyl-deuteroporphyrin-OMe can be reduced to the corresponding hematoporphyrin and subsequent dehydration gives deuterated vinylic groups for protoporphyrin IX-OM e.With the exception of the vinylic groups and the propionic acid residues, the selective deuteration of protoporphyrin IX has been successfully achieved by several synthetic approaches1 /2' 3. These com pounds yield valuable information in assigning the paramagnetically shifted proton nuclear magnetic resonances of low spin iron (III) porphyrins3 and cyanoferrimyoglobin4. The purpose of our com munication is to outline a simple synthesis describing the selective deuteration of the vinylic groups of protoporphyrin IX which can then be used to assign the weak proton resonances from the vinylic group protons in cyanoferrimyoglobin5-6.