Abstract
Purified, haemoglobin-free oxymyoglobin preparations, obtained from heart tissue of adult subjects (Mb A) were compared with myoglobin obtained from heart tissue of fetuses (Mb F) and of individuals with homozygous β-thalassaemia (Mb C). It was found that myoglobin from individuals suffering from homozygous β-thalassaemia was different from that of fetuses and adults. Electrophoretic studies, particularly on acrylamide gel and on cellulose acetate, showed characteristic differences of the components. Two-dimensional peptide maps (fingerprints) showed the presence of a new peptide in Mb C, which was not found in Mb A and Mb F. It appears that the presence of this peptide is associated with a characteristic change in the structure of the Mb C molecule.