While heme is the prosthetic group that can reversibly bind to oxygen, globin is the protein that encloses and safeguards the heme molecule. ... Each member of the group are either turned "on" or "off" during different stages of development. ... The only difference between these two genes products is a single amino acid. ... The £]-globin locus also contains a single pseudogene, £r £]1, within the group. ... All five functional genes of the beta-globin locus encodes products that are 146 amino acids long and contain two correspondingly sized introns at exactly the same ...

• Word Count: 1387
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: Undergraduate