HEMOGLOBINS .48. THE PRIMARY STRUCTURE OF HEMOGLOBIN OF THE INDIAN ELEPHANT (ELEPHAS-MAXIMUS, PROBOSCIDEA) BETA-2 = ASN

The primary structure of the Hb of the Indian elephant (E. maximus) is given. The sequence was determined automatically in a sequenator. By homologous comparison with adult human HbA, the .alpha.-chains differ by 24 exchanges and the .beta.-chains by 27 exchanges. p(O2)50 [partial O2 pressure at 50% Hb saturation] values were reported with regard to altered contact sites with 2,3-bisphosphoglycerate in Indian elephant Hb. The findings explain the low p(O2)50 and the reduced interaction with 2,3-bisphosphoglycerate. Elephant Hb, like that of the llama, has only 5 phosphate binding sites. An attempt was made to relate these results to aspects of respiratory physiology. Some implications of these biochemical and physiological results concerning the 2nd Punic War and Hannibal''s Alp transition are given.