The electron-donating properties of the axial His ligand to heme iron in cytochromes c (cyts c) are found to be correlated with midpoint reduction potential (E m ) in variants of Hydrogenobacter thermophilus cytochrome c 552 (Ht cyt c 552 ) in which mutations have been made in and near the Cys-X-X-Cys-His (CXXCH) heme-binding motif. To probe the strength of the His-Fe(III) interaction, we have measured 13 C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) chemical shifts for 13 CN − bound to heme iron trans to the axial His in Ht Fe(III) cyt c 552 variants. We observe a linear relationship between these 13 C chemical shifts and E m , indicating that the His-Fe(III) bond strength correlates with E m . To probe a conserved hydrogen bonding interaction between the axial His Hδ1 and the backbone carbonyl of a Pro residue, we measured the pK a of the axial His Hδ1 proton (pK a(2) ), which we propose to relate to the His-Fe(III) interaction, reduction potential and local electrostatic effects. The observed linear relationship between the axial His 13 Cβ chemical shift and E m is proposed to reflect histidinate (anionic) character of the ligand. A linear relationship also is seen between the average heme methyl 1 H chemical shift and E m which may reflect variation in axial His electron-donating properties or in the ruffling distortion of the heme plane. In summary, chemical shifts of the axial His and exogenous CN − bound trans to His are shown to be sensitive probes of the His-Fe(III) interaction in variants of Ht cyt c 552 and display trends that correlate with E m .