Studies of the functional properties of the hemoglobin from the benthic fish, Antimora rostrata

1. 1. The functional behavior of the hemoglobin from a deep sea fish, Antimora rostrata, has been studied through equilibrium and kinetic measurements. 2. 2. The hemoglobin appears functionally heterogeneous due to either the presence of more than a single hemoglobin or α-β chain differences. 3. 3. Although the hemoglobin displays a typical Root effect, the measured reduction in oxygen affinity appears to be insufficient to account for the filling of a swim bladder with gaseous oxygen at depths of a mile or greater without invoking some additional pumping mechanism such as a possible salting out effect.