noun
- A protein that contains a colored, non-protein component (chromophore) as an integral part of its structure.
Usage: technical; biochemistry
Examples
- Hemoglobin is a chromoprotein that contains a heme group, which gives blood its red color.
- Chlorophyll-binding proteins are chromoproteins essential for photosynthesis in plants.
- The enzyme cytochrome c is a chromoprotein involved in cellular respiration.
- Chromoproteins are widely studied in biochemistry because their color makes them easy to track in experiments.
- The visible absorption spectrum of a chromoprotein depends on the nature of its chromophore.