The transition from the taut (deoxy) form of hemoglobin to the relaxed (oxy) form of hemoglobin involves the breaking of inter-subunit bonds that are predominately
A) covalent.
B) van der Waal's
C) hydrophobic
D) ionic
E) none of the above

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The transition from taut to relaxed form of hemoglobin involves breaking of ionic bonds between the subunits, specifically between the positively charged histidine residues and negatively charged aspartate residues. This breaking of ionic bonds allows for conformational changes to occur, resulting in the binding of oxygen to hemoglobin.

The Transition from the Taut (Deoxy) Form of Hemoglobin to the Relaxed