Mitochondrial yeast cytochrome peroxidase

Cytochrome c-550(s) was partially purified by Ketchum et al. (1969). Afterward it was purified to an electrophoretically homogeneous state (Yamanaka et al., 1982), and its complete amino acid sequence was determined (Tanaka et al., 1982). Its molecular mass is 12.4 kDa. The cytochrome is very similar to mitochondrial cytochrome c (similarity, 40% 19%) on the basis of the sequence, and reacts with yeast cytochrome c peroxidase at the rate of 79% as fast as mitochondrial cytochrome c. Ferrocytochrome c-550(s) is oxidized very fast with molecular oxygen by the catalysis of N. winogradskyi cytochrome c oxidase turnover number is 117 s 1 (Yamanaka et al., 1982 Nomoto et al., 1993). 

Cytochrome oxidase (cytochrome aa3) represents the most important cytochrome of the a class. This is the terminal oxidase used in animals, plants, yeasts, algae and some bacteria. It contains two copper centres, giving four redox groups in total. This oxidase is discussed with other cytochromes that have a terminal oxidase function in Sections 62.1.12.4 and 62.1.12.5. These are cytochromes o, d and cd,. The oxidases fed719 and ax are not included in that discussion. The situation regarding cytochrome ax has been confused, partly due to uncertainty in the definition of this cytochrome. In some respects, the properties of cytochrome ax resemble those of mitochondrial and bacterial aa3. It functions as a terminal oxidase in some bacteria,720 but its role in E. coli is unknown. A soluble fraction from disrupted E. coli cells grown anaerobically on glycerol and fumarate contains a hemoprotein similar to cytochrome ax, which has catalase and peroxidase activity.721... 

Since mitochondrial cytochrome c was available commercially (horse heart muscle being the most common source) and could readily be purified to a high level, it formed the basic subject for most of the pioneering studies. Many ideas concerning the electrochemical mechanism, in particular, the mode of interaction with the electrode, have developed around the considerable wealth of information that is available [14, 18] on the structure and properties of the protein molecule. The extent to which the metal centre is buried is illustrated well in Fig. 1 which shows the 3D structure [19] of yeast (iso-1) cytochrome c and a view of the exposed active site. The major function of cytochrome c is as electron donor to cytochrome c oxidase (Complex IV), the membrane-bound enzyme that is the terminus of the aerobic respiratory chain and a site for proton translocation. Another physiological oxidant of cytochrome c (in yeasts) is cytochrome c peroxidase, a soluble enzyme whose crystal structure is known (see Sect. 7). The most important reduc-tant of cytochrome c is the cytochrome Cj component of the membrane-bound hcj complex (Complex III), but others (see Sect. 6, Scheme 5) include cytochrome b, sulfite oxidase, and flavocytochrome (lactate dehydrogenase, found in yeasts). 

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