Direct Measurement of the pK Values of an Alkaline Bohr Group in Human Hemoglobin

Abstract
Proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectra of normal and des-(his 146beta) human hemoglobin in the aromatic resonance region have been compared at different pH values. From these measurements, a pK value for histidine 146beta of 7.1 in carbonmonoxyhemoglobin and 8.0 in deoxyhemoglobin has been found. These pK values confirm the proposed role of histidine 146beta in the alkaline Bohr effect.