HIGH-PERFORMANCE LIQUID-CHROMATOGRAPHIC SEPARATION AND PARTIAL CHARACTERIZATION OF THE ALPHA-CHAINS AND BETA-CHAINS OF ALASKAN SOCKEYE-SALMON HEMOGLOBIN

The life cycle of the sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) includes both fresh water early development and oceanic adult periods. These salmon have multiple hemoglobins whose functional and evolutionary significance is still unresolved. The presence of these various hemoglobins may be advantageous to assuring adequate oxygen transport over a wide variety of environmental conditions. Functional differences between hemoglobin components in oxygen affinity, thermal stability and autoxidation have been reported. In order to better understand the molecular basis of these functional properties of the hemoglobin components, we have identified and characterized several of the polypeptide chains of sockeye salmon hemoglobins. The hemoglobin components were separated by chromatography into cathodal and anodal components. These components were then resolved by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. A gradient system was developed which could separate seven polypeptide chains. Amino acid compositions and sequence analysis of the polypeptide chains allowed the classification of some of the polypeptide chains as their α- orβ-chains. © 1990.