The CuA site of cytochrome c oxidase

✍ Scribed by Christopher Dennison; Gerard W. Canters

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 2010
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 810 KB
• Volume: 115
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0165-0513
• DOI: 10.1002/recl.19961150702

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

The recent exciting developments concerning the structure and function of the Cu~A~ site in cytochrome c oxidase (COX) and nitrous oxide reductase are reviewed. The XRD structures of a mitochondrial and a bacterial COX have been reported in 1995. In COX, the Cu~A~ centre is located in subunit II and is involved in electron transfer from a cytochrome c donor to the oxygen binding centre of the protein. The structural studies on the enzyme have revealed the coordination geometries of the many metal centres of COX, including the Cu~A~ site. A combination of spectroscopic and mutagenesis studies on the Cu~A~ centre led to the correct prediction of the structure of this unique copper centre. The construction of a Cu~A~ site in type 1 blue copper proteins is briefly discussed.