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hemoprotein

biochemistry
Also known as: haemoprotein, heme protein

Quick Summary

Heme is a deep red, iron-containing prosthetic group that is crucial in biochemistry. It is a component of proteins like hemoglobin and myoglobin, which are vital for oxygen transport in the body.12

Heme proteins are a type of conjugated protein, meaning they are composed of a protein molecule combined with a prosthetic group. In heme proteins, this prosthetic group is an iron-porphyrin complex. The intense color of these proteins comes from the porphyrin structure, not the iron itself. Porphyrin is a complex cyclic molecule made of four pyrrole rings linked together, with an iron atom at its center.2

The iron atom in heme can bind to other molecules, such as oxygen in the case of hemoglobin, which is essential for respiration. Heme proteins are not typically classified as metalloproteins because the iron is very firmly bound within the porphyrin structure.2

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