Favorite biomolecule

Name Institution Course Code Instructor Date Hemoglobin Hemoglobin is one of the exceptional protein biomolecules I know. Its primary function is to deliver oxygen in the circulation system. It has iron in it, and the effectiveness of its biological function depends on its molecular structure. Hemoglobin is a quaternary protein composed of four polypeptide subunits. The polypeptide subunits mainly consist of two alpha-globins and two beta-globins of 141 and 146 amino acids (Ahmed et al. 350). Each chain contains a heme group that has a porphyrin ring system coupled with a centrally coordinated iron atom in its ferrous (Fe²⁺) oxidation state (353). It is a tetrameric structure that forms a compact, nearly spherical configuration with a molecular mass of about 64500 daltons. The tertiary structure of the protein has a hydrophobic pocket providing a cover for the iron center from oxidation and facilitating reversible binding of oxygen. The principal function of hemoglobin is its great capacity to deliver oxygen in the body. The iron can bind to one molecule of oxygen, thereby allowing one hemoglobin protein to carry up to four oxygen atoms (Bellelli and Brunori 560 ). The process of binding is cooperative, meaning that one oxygen binding causes increased affinity to the next oxygen binding, and this process creates a characteristic sigmoidal oxygen-hemoglobin dissociation curve (564). Also, hemoglobin has a great role in the transportation of carbon dioxide. Cherian explains that it carries approximately 23% of CO₂ from tissues to the lungs (33). It is an essential part of the body's pH buffering system due to its ability to bind hydrogen ions. The biological importance of hemoglobin is extraordinary. In human beings, hemoglobin guarantees the effective delivery of oxygen from the lungs to the body's active tissues. This helps in cellular respiration and metabolism (Drvenica et al. 1708). In the absence of functional hemoglobin, ...