A HEMOGLOBIN-BASED BLOOD SUBSTITUTE - TRANSPLANTING A NOVEL ALLOSTERIC EFFECT OF CROCODILE HB

Recombinant DNA technology has enabled the large scale production of h uman hemoglobin in bacteria and yeast. This has opened up a way to pro duce a hemoglobin-based blood substitute which could replace conventio nal blood transfusion in some situations. Using our understanding of t he structure-function relationships and evolutionary history of hemogl obin it has been possible to improve the oxygen transport properties o f the molecule and solve a number of problems associated with the use of natural hemoglobin as a cell-free blood substitute.