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Question: Answered & Verified by Expert
The haemoglobin of a human foetus
BiologyBreathing and Exchange of GasesNEETNEET 2008 (Mains)
Options:
  • A Has a higher affinity for oxygen than that of an adult
  • B Has a lower affinity for oxygen than that of the adult
  • C Its affinity for oxygen is the same as that of an adult
  • D Has only 2 protein subunits instead of 4
Solution:
2338 Upvotes Verified Answer
The correct answer is: Has a higher affinity for oxygen than that of an adult
The haemoglobin of human foetus $(\mathrm{HbF})$ has 4 Heme group and 1 globin. In $\mathrm{HbF}$ the globin protein is made up of $2^\alpha$ and $2 \beta$ polypeptide chains. Each $\alpha$ has 141 amino acids and each $\beta$-has 146 amino acids but 37 amino acids in each $\beta$ are different from that of $\mathrm{HbA}$. It has higher affinity for $\mathrm{O}_2$ even at low $\mathrm{PO}_2$ and the oxygen $-\mathrm{Hb}$ dissociation curve remains towards the left of normal.

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