Recent advances in heme-protein sensors

In recent years, an increasing number of proteins have been discovered whic h utilize heme cofactors to sense oxygen, carbon monoxide and nitric oxide. The identification and characterization of these proteins are revising our understanding of heme-mediated allostery first established in the early 19 60s. Biochemical and structural studies are revealing new mechanisms for he me-driven conformational changes distinct from the classical hemoglobin mod el.