LAUSR

Hemoglobin III (HbIII) is one of the two oxygen reactive hemoproteins present in the bivalve, Lucina pectinata. The clam inhabits a sulfur‐rich environment and HbIII is the only hemoprotein present in the system which does not yet have a structure described elsewhere. It is known that HbIII exists as a heterodimer with hemoglobin II (HbII) to generate the stable Oxy(HbII‐HbIII) complex but it remains unknown if HbIII can form a homodimeric species. Here, a new chromatographic methodology to separate OxyHbIII from the HbII‐HbIII dimer has been developed, employing a fast performance liquid chromatography and ionic exchange chromatography column. The nature of OxyHbIII in solution at concentrations from 1.6 mg/mL to 20.4 mg/mL was studied using small angle X‐ray scattering (SAXS). The results show that at all concentrations, the Oxy(HbIII‐HbIII) dimer dominates in solution. However, as the concentration increases to nonphysiological values, 20.4 mg/mL, HbIII forms a 30% tetrameric fraction. Thus, there is a direct relationship between the Oxy(HbIII‐HbIII) oligomeric form and hemoglobin concentration. We suggest it is likely that the OxyHbIII dimer contributes to active oxygen transport in tissues of L pectinata, where the Oxy(HbII‐HbIII) complex is not present.