Question

Describe how the following factors can affect the 3D shape of haemoglobin and its activity

Answer 1

what factors

Answer 2

1.Temperature
2.pH
3.Number of oxygen molecules bound

Answer 3

Temperature: due to increased of liberation of heat from the metabolically-active cells, this promotes the release of oxygen from the haemoglobin as additional oxygen would be required by the cells to carry on with their metabolic processes.

pH: oxygen affinity of hemoglobin decreases as pH decreases. Carbon dioxide in the tussus diffuses into erythrocytes, carbon anhydrase forms carbonic acid that dissociates (into H+) decreasing the pH inside the red blood cell.

And I don't think that the amount of oxygen present really affects hemoglobin that much, maybe it's rate. but i know that hemoglobin is a tetramer and can bind to a maximum of 4 oxygen molecules and also depends on where in the tissues it's being taken to, some tissues require more oxygen than others.

Answer 4

thank you abb0t

Answer 5

actually the more dioxygens bound to individual hemoglobins the greater it's affinity to bind more due to conformational changes. affinity: 1<2<3

Answer 6

Thanks @aaronq I REALLY need to brush up on my biochem badly. Lol. It's been a while :(

Answer 7

aaronq,abb0t,thank you so much for helping me