Question

What is the structure of the haemoglobin protein? (please break down to primary structure, secondary structure, tertiary structure, and quaternary stucture (if it has one).

Answer 1

Structure of the haemoglobin protein:

Primary Structure

In primary structure, hemoglobin is made up of amino acids stuck together in chains. These chains are polypeptides that are also stuck to a heme molecule, which is where the oxygen will eventually stick.

Secondary Structure

Secondary protein structures are the alpha helix and the beta-pleated sheet, and each globin contains eight alpha helices.

Tertiary Structure

Tertiary structure describes bending of globin in space. The heme molecule is important for the tertiary bending structure of hemoglobin, as it helps twist the globins into shape by connecting to histidine residues on them.

Quaternary Structure

In the four globins that make up hemoglobin, two are identical and called alpha chains, and the other two are called beta chains and are also identical. The quaternary structure of hemoglobin is nothing but these units fitting together.