Structures of Metal Centers of Bovine Heart Cytochrome c Oxidase

Abstract

Cytochrome c oxidase is a integral membrane protein producing energy in respiratory chain. The enzyme catalyzes reduction of oxygen to water coupled with proton transfer. Structure determination of metal centers of the enzyme having a key role in its function has been a central subject in the field of bio-energetics since discovery of the enzyme. Structures of metal centers, heme a, heme a₃, CuA, CUB, Zn and Mg, of bovine heart cytochrome c oxidase were determined by X-ray crystal structure analysis at 2.8Å resolution.