DISSOCIATION OF FETAL HEMOGLOBIN BY P-CHLOROMERCURIBENZOATE AND PREPARATION OF NATIVE GAMMA CHAINS

The reaction between human fetal hemoglobin and parachloromereuribenzoate (leading to dissociation of the protein) was studied under different conditions. The results show that, like adult hemoglobin, fetal hemoglobin can be dissociated into its constituent polypeptide chains (α and γ) after treatment with PMB. However, the optimum conditions for the splitting of adult and fetal hemoglobin are different with respect to pH, ionic strength, and time of exposure to the mercurial. After splitting, the two types of chain can be isolated by chromatography on a carboxymethylcellulose column. © 1969.