Question

A secret service agent is responding to a threat at the White House and rushes the president to the underground bunker. After seeing the president into the bunker the agent shuts the door and runs back upstairs to confront the assailants. On his way he runs through toxic gas coming out of a gas canister and suddenly starts gasping for air and feels his muscles becoming weak. He also notices the iron (Fe) rail he is holding onto become oxidized. What is the toxic gas most likely doing to the agent's hemoglobin (Hgb) molecules? o Select one: O a. It is causing the agent's Hgb to adopt the R state, with a current oxidation state of Fe , in order to solve the oxygen deprivation. b. It is causing the agent's Hgb to adopt the T state, with a current oxidation state of Fe , in order to solve the oxygen deprivation c. It is causing the agent's Hgb to adopt the T state while also reducing the disulfide bonds of the Hgb tetramer thus eventually creating many non-functional Hgb af monomers. O d. None of the above o e. It is causing the agent's gb to adopt the T state, with a current oxidations state of Fe , in order to solve the oxygen deprivation.

Answer 1

The answer for above question is b i.e. It is causing the agents's Hgb to adopt the T state, with a current oxidation state of Fe³⁺ , in order to solve the oxygen deprivation.

Because as per the literature available on hemoglobin binding behavior when oxygen level is low/deprived, Hgb adopts a T (Tense) state with Fe³⁺ oxidation state and vice-versa upon binding of oxygen molecule in Co-operative manner with Hgb adopts R (Relaxed) state with Fe²⁺ oxidation state. The condition's  given in the question is agent holding Iron rail is getting oxidized means Fe²⁺ is converting Fe³⁺ in that case Hgb molecule shifts from R to T state.