The Investigation of Haemoglobin and Myoglobin Derivatives by Electron Resonance

Abstract

Application of the new technique of electron resonance to the investigation of large organic molecules containing paramagnetic atoms is outlined, together with examples of the information that can be obtained. Various derivatives of hemo- and myoglobins were chosen as an initial study since the electron resonance data can give detailed information about the heme planes which are inaccessible to normal X-ray and infrared techniques. Two types of data can be obtained from these measurements, one relating to the nature of electronic binding between the central iron atom and the surrounding ligands, and the other relating to the spatial orientation of the heme planes. These sets of results are discussed and compared with the data obtained by other methods. It would appear that electron resonance can be used in such cases as these to give much more detailed and accurate measurements concerning the central structure of the heme group than any other technique.