Wednesday 31 August 2016

Leghaemoglobin protein

Leghaemoglobin protein- In case of nitrogen-fixing root nodules of leguminous plants which belongs to family fabaceae nodule formation takes place.

Nodules contain an oxygen binding heme protein called leg-haemoglobin . 

Location -This protein is present in cytoplasm of infected nodule cells at high concentration (700uM). 

It gives the nodule a pink colour apperance. The host plant produces the globin portion of the leg haemoglobin in response to infection by rhizobia bacteria. The bacterial symbiont produces the heme portion. 

Properties-

  • Leg haemoglobin has a high affinity for oxygen about 10 times higher than B-chain of human haemoglobin.
  • It stores enough oxygen to support nodule respiration for a few seconds.
  • Leghemoglobin buffers the concentration of free oxygen in the cytoplasm of infected plant cells to ensure the proper function of root nodules.


Picture

                                Image source-http://biology4isc.weebly.com/3-mineral-nutrition.html




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