Synchrotron X-ray-induced photoreduction of ferric myoglobin nitrite crystals gives the ferrous derivative with retention of the O-bonded nitrite ligand

Correlated single-crystal spectroscopy with crystallography was employed to characterize the single crystal of the nitrite adduct of ferric myoglobin (Mb) exposed to high-intensity synchrotron X-ray radiation. The 1.55 [Angstrom] resolution crystal structure of the photoproduct reveals retention of the O-binding mode for binding of nitrite to the iron center.