α-Chain contacts in the polymerization of sickle haemoglobin

Abstract
Five new double-mutant haemoglobins composed of βs chains and α chains with different substitutions, which are located at the surface of the tetramer, have been prepared. Although all the hybrids are more soluble than deoxyhaemoglobin S, the individual differences between these molecules make it possible to evaluate several regions on the α chains for intermolecular contacts in the polymerisation of deoxyhaemoglobin S.