Abstract:

Respiratory proteins play important roles not only in oxygen transport  but also in bloodpressure stabilization, fungus suppression, and virus suppression, which have attracted research interests of scholars because they are ideal molecules with which to study biological multifunctions of proteins. Base on recentresearch advances in crab hemocynin, the structural features and biological functions of hemoglobins, hemocyanins and hemerythreins were reviewed. Comprehensive understanding of the structural and functional characteristics of animal respiratory proteins will broaden our cognizance of biological multifunctions of animal respiratory proteins.

Key words: respiratory proteins; hemoglobin; hemocyanin; hemerythrein; m olecular structure; biological function