hemoprotein
Hierarchy classification:
Alternative term/s
- heme protein
- hemoproteins
- protein, heme
Anotations
Scope note:
A conjugated protein linked to a compound of iron and porphyrin. This means it is a metalloprotein containing a heme prosthetic group, either covalently or noncovalently bound to the protein itself. The iron in the heme is capable of undergoing oxidation and reduction. Hemoproteins probably evolved from a primordial strategy that has been maintained throughout evolution, since it is advantageous to the organism that hemoproteins are responsive to molecules that can bind divalent iron, including but probably not restricted to gaseous molecules such as oxygen, nitric oxide, carbon monoxide, and hydrogen sulfide. Once bound to the prosthetic heme groups of hemoproteins, these gaseous molecules can modulate the activity or function of those hemoproteins in a way that seemingly affords signal transduction.