2,3-Bisphosphoglyceric acid (

conjugate base A conjugate acid, within the Brønsted–Lowry acid–base theory, is a chemical compound formed when an acid donates a proton () to a base—in other words, it is a base with a hydrogen ion added to it, as in the reverse reaction it loses a ...

2,3-bisphosphoglycerate) (2,3-BPG), also known as 2,3-diphosphoglyceric acid (conjugate base 2,3-diphosphoglycerate) (2,3-DPG), is a three-carbon isomer of the glycolytic intermediate

1,3-bisphosphoglyceric acid 1,3-Bisphosphoglyceric acid (1,3-Bisphosphoglycerate or 1,3BPG) is a 3-carbon organic molecule present in most, if not all, living organisms. It primarily exists as a metabolic intermediate in both glycolysis during respiration and the Calvin cyc ...

(1,3-BPG). -2,3-BPG is present in human red blood cells (RBC;

erythrocyte Red blood cells (RBCs), also referred to as red cells, red blood corpuscles (in humans or other animals not having nucleus in red blood cells), haematids, erythroid cells or erythrocytes (from Greek ''erythros'' for "red" and ''kytos'' for "hol ...

) at approximately 5 mmol/L. It binds with greater affinity to deoxygenated

hemoglobin Hemoglobin (haemoglobin BrE) (from the Greek word αἷμα, ''haîma'' 'blood' + Latin ''globus'' 'ball, sphere' + ''-in'') (), abbreviated Hb or Hgb, is the iron-containing oxygen-transport metalloprotein present in red blood cells (erythroc ...

(e.g., when the red blood cell is near respiring tissue) than it does to oxygenated hemoglobin (e.g., in the lungs) due to conformational differences: 2,3-BPG (with an estimated size of about 9 Å) fits in the deoxygenated hemoglobin conformation (with an 11-Angstrom pocket), but not as well in the oxygenated conformation (5 Angstroms). It interacts with deoxygenated hemoglobin beta subunits and decreases the affinity for oxygen and

allosterically In biochemistry, allosteric regulation (or allosteric control) is the regulation of an enzyme by binding an effector molecule at a site other than the enzyme's active site. The site to which the effector binds is termed the ''allosteric site ...

promotes the release of the remaining oxygen molecules bound to the hemoglobin. Therefore, it enhances the ability of RBCs to release oxygen near tissues that need it most. 2,3-BPG is thus an

allosteric effector In biochemistry, an effector molecule is usually a small molecule that selectively binds to a protein and regulates its biological activity. In this manner, effector molecules act as ligands that can increase or decrease enzyme activity, gen ...

. Its function was discovered in 1967 by

Reinhold Benesch Reinhold Benesch (August 13, 1919 – December 30, 1986) and Ruth Erica Benesch (February 25, 1925-March 25, 2000) were American biochemists at Columbia University whose forty year scientific collaboration primarily investigated hemoglobin. Their ...

and

Ruth Benesch Reinhold Benesch (August 13, 1919 – December 30, 1986) and Ruth Erica Benesch (February 25, 1925-March 25, 2000) were American biochemists at Columbia University whose forty year scientific collaboration primarily investigated hemoglobin. Their ...

Metabolism

2,3-BPG is formed from

1,3-BPG 1,3-Bisphosphoglyceric acid (1,3-Bisphosphoglycerate or 1,3BPG) is a 3-carbon organic molecule present in most, if not all, living organisms. It primarily exists as a metabolic intermediate in both glycolysis during respiration and the Calvin cycl ...

by the enzyme BPG mutase. It can then be broken down by 2,3-BPG phosphatase to form

3-phosphoglycerate 3-Phosphoglyceric acid (3PG, 3-PGA, or PGA) is the conjugate acid of 3-phosphoglycerate or glycerate 3-phosphate (GP or G3P). This glycerate is a biochemically significant metabolic intermediate in both glycolysis and the Calvin-Benson cycle. The ...

. Its synthesis and breakdown are, therefore, a way around a step of

glycolysis Glycolysis is the metabolic pathway that converts glucose () into pyruvate (). The free energy released in this process is used to form the high-energy molecules adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH ...

, with the net expense of one ATP per molecule of 2,3-BPG generated as the high-energy carboxylic acid-phosphate mixed anhydride bond is cleaved by bisphosphoglycerate mutase. : Pathway of generation of 2,3-bisphosphoglycerate

Pathway of generation of 2,3-bisphosphoglycerate

The normal glycolytic pathway generates 1,3-BPG, which may be dephosphorylated by

phosphoglycerate kinase Phosphoglycerate kinase () (PGK 1) is an enzyme that catalyzes the reversible transfer of a phosphate group from 1,3-bisphosphoglycerate (1,3-BPG) to ADP producing 3-phosphoglycerate (3-PG) and ATP : :1,3-bisphosphoglycerate + ADP glycerat ...

(PGK), generating ATP, or it may be shunted into the Luebering-Rapoport pathway, where

bisphosphoglycerate mutase Bisphosphoglycerate mutase (, BPGM) is an enzyme unique to erythrocytes and placental cells. It is responsible for the catalytic synthesis of 2,3-Bisphosphoglycerate (2,3-BPG) from 1,3-bisphosphoglycerate. BPGM also has a mutase and a phosphat ...

catalyzes the transfer of a phosphoryl group from C1 to C2 of 1,3-BPG, giving 2,3-BPG. 2,3-BPG, the most concentrated organophosphate in the erythrocyte, forms 3-PG by the action of

bisphosphoglycerate phosphatase In enzymology, a bisphosphoglycerate phosphatase () is an enzyme that catalyzes the chemical reaction :2,3-bisphospho-D-glycerate + H2O \rightleftharpoons 3-phospho-D-glycerate + phosphate Thus, the two substrates of this enzyme are 2,3-bisphos ...

. The concentration of 2,3-BPG varies proportionately to the + There is a delicate balance between the need to generate ATP to support energy requirements for cell metabolism and the need to maintain appropriate oxygenation/deoxygenation status of hemoglobin. This balance is maintained by isomerisation of 1,3-BPG to 2,3-BPG, which enhances the deoxygenation of hemoglobin.

Effects of binding

When 2,3-BPG binds to deoxyhemoglobin, it acts to stabilize the low oxygen affinity state (T state) of the oxygen carrier. It fits neatly into the cavity of the deoxy- conformation, exploiting the

molecular symmetry Molecular symmetry in chemistry describes the symmetry present in molecules and the classification of these molecules according to their symmetry. Molecular symmetry is a fundamental concept in chemistry, as it can be used to predict or explain m ...

and positive polarity by forming salt bridges with

lysine Lysine (symbol Lys or K) is an α-amino acid that is a precursor to many proteins. It contains an α-amino group (which is in the protonated form under biological conditions), an α-carboxylic acid group (which is in the deprotonated − ...

and

histidine Histidine (symbol His or H) is an essential amino acid that is used in the biosynthesis of proteins. It contains an α-amino group (which is in the protonated –NH3+ form under biological conditions), a carboxylic acid group (which is in the ...

residues in the ß subunits of

. The R state, with oxygen bound to a heme group, has a different conformation and does not allow this interaction. By itself, hemoglobin has sigmoid-like kinetics. In selectively binding to deoxyhemoglobin, 2,3-BPG stabilizes the T state conformation, making it harder for oxygen to bind hemoglobin and more likely to be released to adjacent tissues. 2,3-BPG is part of a

feedback loop Feedback occurs when outputs of a system are routed back as inputs as part of a chain of cause-and-effect that forms a circuit or loop. The system can then be said to ''feed back'' into itself. The notion of cause-and-effect has to be handled c ...

that can help prevent tissue hypoxia in conditions where it is most likely to occur. Conditions of low tissue oxygen concentration such as high altitude (2,3-BPG levels are higher in those acclimated to high altitudes),

airway obstruction Airway obstruction is a blockage of respiration in the airway that hinders the free flow of air. It can be broadly classified into being either in the upper airway (UPA) or lower airway (LOA). Airway obstruction is a life-threatening condition ...

, or

congestive heart failure Heart failure (HF), also known as congestive heart failure (CHF), is a syndrome, a group of signs and symptoms caused by an impairment of the heart's blood pumping function. Symptoms typically include shortness of breath, excessive fatigue, ...

will tend to cause RBCs to generate more 2,3-BPG, because changes in pH and oxygen modulate the enzymes that make and degrade it. The accumulation of 2,3-BPG decreases the affinity of hemoglobin for oxygen. Ultimately, this mechanism increases oxygen release from RBCs under circumstances where it is needed most. This release is potentiated by the

Bohr effect The Bohr effect is a phenomenon first described in 1904 by the Danish physiologist Christian Bohr. Hemoglobin's oxygen binding affinity (see oxygen–haemoglobin dissociation curve) is inversely related both to acidity and to the concentration ...

, in which hemoglobin's binding affinity for oxygen is also reduced by a lower pH and high concentration of

carbon dioxide Carbon dioxide ( chemical formula ) is a chemical compound made up of molecules that each have one carbon atom covalently double bonded to two oxygen atoms. It is found in the gas state at room temperature. In the air, carbon dioxide is t ...

. In tissues with high energetic demands, oxygen is rapidly consumed, which increases the concentration of H⁺ and carbon dioxide. Through the Bohr effect, hemoglobin is induced to release more oxygen to supply cells that need it. In contrast, 2,3-BPG has no effect on the related compound

myoglobin Myoglobin (symbol Mb or MB) is an iron- and oxygen-binding protein found in the cardiac and skeletal muscle tissue of vertebrates in general and in almost all mammals. Myoglobin is distantly related to hemoglobin. Compared to hemoglobin, myoglob ...

.(reference required) In pregnant women, there is a 30% increase in intracellular 2,3-BPG. This lowers the maternal hemoglobin affinity for oxygen, and therefore allows more oxygen to be offloaded to the fetus in the maternal uterine arteries. The fetus has a low sensitivity to 2,3-BPG, so its hemoglobin has a higher affinity for oxygen. Therefore, although the pO2 in the uterine arteries is low, the fetal

umbilical artery The umbilical artery is a paired artery (with one for each half of the body) that is found in the abdominal and pelvic regions. In the fetus, it extends into the umbilical cord. Structure Development The umbilical arteries supply deoxygenated b ...

(which carries deoxygenated blood) can still get oxygenated from them.

Fetal hemoglobin

Fetal hemoglobin Fetal hemoglobin, or foetal haemoglobin (also hemoglobin F, HbF, or α2γ2) is the main oxygen carrier protein in the human fetus. Hemoglobin F is found in fetal red blood cells, and is involved in transporting oxygen from the mother's bloodstr ...

(HbF) exhibits a low affinity for 2,3-BPG, resulting in a higher binding affinity for oxygen. This increased oxygen-binding affinity relative to that of adult hemoglobin (HbA) is due to HbF's having two α/γ dimers as opposed to the two α/β dimers of HbA. The positive

residues of HbA β-subunits that are essential for forming the 2,3-BPG binding pocket are replaced by

serine Serine (symbol Ser or S) is an α-amino acid that is used in the biosynthesis of proteins. It contains an α- amino group (which is in the protonated − form under biological conditions), a carboxyl group (which is in the deprotonated − for ...

residues in HbF γ-subunits. Like that, histidine nº143 gets lost, so 2,3-BPG has difficulties in linking to the fetal hemoglobin, and it looks like the pure hemoglobin. Increased binding affinity of fetal hemoglobin relative to HbA facilitates the passage of oxygen across the placental membrane from the mother to the fetus. Differences between myoglobin (Mb), fetal hemoglobin (Hb F), adult hemoglobin (Hb A)

Diseases related to 2,3-BPG

Hyperthyroidism A 2004 study checked the effects of thyroid hormone on 2,3-BPG levels. The result was that the hyperthyroidism modulates in vivo 2,3-BPG content in erythrocytes by changes in the expression of

phosphoglycerate mutase :''This enzyme is not to be confused with Bisphosphoglycerate mutase which catalyzes the conversion of 1,3-bisphosphoglycerate to 2,3-bisphosphoglycerate.'' Phosphoglycerate mutase (PGM) is any enzyme that catalyzes step 8 of glycolysis - ...

(PGM) and 2,3-BPG synthase. This result shows that the increase in the 2,3-BPG content of erythrocytes observed in hyperthyroidism doesn’t depend on any variation in the rate of circulating hemoglobin, but seems to be a direct consequence of the stimulating effect of thyroid hormones on erythrocyte glycolytic activity. Chronic anemia Red cells increase their intracellular 2,3-BPG concentration as much as five times within one to two hours in patients with chronic anemia, when the oxygen carrying capacity of the blood is diminished. This results in a rightward shift of the oxygen dissociation curve and more oxygen being released to the tissues. Chronic respiratory disease with hypoxia Recently, scientists have found similarities between low amounts of 2,3-BPG with the occurrence of

high altitude pulmonary edema High-altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE) is a life-threatening form of non-cardiogenic pulmonary edema that occurs in otherwise healthy people at altitudes typically above . However, cases have also been reported between in more vulnerable subjects. ...

at high altitudes.

Hemodialysis

In a 1998 study, erythrocyte 2,3-BPG concentration was analyzed during the

hemodialysis Hemodialysis, also spelled haemodialysis, or simply dialysis, is a process of purifying the blood of a person whose kidneys are not working normally. This type of dialysis achieves the extracorporeal removal of waste products such as creatinin ...

process. The 2,3-BPG concentration was expressed relative to the hemoglobin tetramer (Hb4) concentration as the 2,3-BPG/Hb4 ratio. Physiologically, an increase in 2,3-BPG levels would be expected to counteract the hypoxia that is frequently observed in this process. Nevertheless, the results show a 2,3-BPG/Hb4 ratio decreased. This is due to the procedure itself: mechanical stress on the erythrocytes is believed to cause the 2,3-BPG escape, which is then removed by hemodialysis. The concentrations of

calcium Calcium is a chemical element with the symbol Ca and atomic number 20. As an alkaline earth metal, calcium is a reactive metal that forms a dark oxide-nitride layer when exposed to air. Its physical and chemical properties are most similar ...

phosphate In chemistry, a phosphate is an anion, salt, functional group or ester derived from a phosphoric acid. It most commonly means orthophosphate, a derivative of orthophosphoric acid . The phosphate or orthophosphate ion is derived from phosph ...

creatinine Creatinine (; ) is a breakdown product of creatine phosphate from muscle and protein metabolism. It is released at a constant rate by the body (depending on muscle mass). Biological relevance Serum creatinine (a blood measurement) is an importa ...

urea Urea, also known as carbamide, is an organic compound with chemical formula . This amide has two amino groups (–) joined by a carbonyl functional group (–C(=O)–). It is thus the simplest amide of carbamic acid. Urea serves an important ...

and

albumin Albumin is a family of globular proteins, the most common of which are the serum albumins. All the proteins of the albumin family are water- soluble, moderately soluble in concentrated salt solutions, and experience heat denaturation. Album ...

did not correlate significantly with the total change in 2,3-BPG/Hb4 ratio. However, the ratio sampled just before dialysis correlated significantly and positively with the total weekly dosage of

erythropoietin Erythropoietin (; EPO), also known as erythropoetin, haematopoietin, or haemopoietin, is a glycoprotein cytokine secreted mainly by the kidneys in response to cellular hypoxia; it stimulates red blood cell production ( erythropoiesis) in th ...

(main hormone in

formation) given to the patients.

References

* Berg, J.M., Tymockzko, J.L. and Stryer L. ''Biochemistry''. (5th ed.). W.H. Freeman and Co, New York, 1995. . *
Online medical dictionary
*Nelson, David L.; Cox, Michael M.; Lehninger, Albert L. ''Principles of Biochemistry''. (4th ed.). W.H. Freeman, 2005. . *Müller-Esterl, W. ''Biochemistry: Fundamentals of Medicine and the Science of Life''. (2nd ed.). Reverté, 2008. . *Rodak. ''Hematology: Clinical Principles and Applications'' (2nd ed.). Elsevier Science, Philadelphia, 2003. . *González-Cinca N, Pérez de la Ossa P, Carreras J, Climent F. "Effects of thyroid hormone and hypoxia on 2,3-bisphosphoglycerate, bisphosphoglycerate synthase and phosphoglycerate mutase in rabbit erythroblasts and reticulocytes in vivo". Unitat de Bioquímica, Departament de Ciéncies Fisiològiques I, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain, 2004. *Nielsen AL, Andersen EM, Jørgensen LG, Jensen HA. "Oxygen and 2,3 biphosphoglycerate (2,3-BPG) during haemodialysis". Department of Nephrology, Hvidovre University Hospital, Denmark, 1998. *"Anales de la Real Academia Nacional de Medicina (cuaderno cuarto)".

External links

A live model of the effect of changing 2,3 BPG on the oxyhaemoglobin saturation curve
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bisphosphoglyceric acid, 2,3- Organophosphates Respiratory physiology