Ubiquinone Coenzyme biochemical function

In this chapter, mitochondrial dysfunctions will be briefly reviewed, but the neuroprotective effects of coenzyme Q10 in neurodegenerative disease will be discussed in detail. For additional documentations, the readers should consult the two volumes on mitochondrial ubiquinone (coenzyme Q10) biochemical, functional, medical, and therapeutic aspects in human health and disease (Ebadi et al., 2001). 

Ebadi, M., Marwah, J., and Chopra, R., Mitochondrial Ubiquinone (Coenzyme Q10) Biochemical, Functional, Medical, and Therapeutic Aspects in Human Health and Disease, Vol. 1, 2, Prominent Press, Scottsdale, AZ, 2001. 

Rubio-Gozalbo, M.E., Smeitink, J.A.M. and Sengers, R.C.A. Mitochondriocytopathies in pediatric patients. In Mitochondrial Ubiquinone (Coenzyme QIO) Biochemical, functional, medical and therapeutic aspects in human health and diseases (eds M. Ebadi, J. Marwah, R.K. Chopra). Prominent Press, Scottsdale, in press. 

The redox properties of quinones are crucial to the functioning of living cells, where compounds called ubiquinones act as biochemical oxidizing agents to mediate the electron-transfer processes involved in energy production. Ubiquinones, also called coenzymes Q, are components of the cells of all aerobic organisms, from the simplest bacterium to humans. They are so named because of their ubiquitous occurrence in nature. 

Biochemical and genetic studies in the long-lived Caenorhabditis clk-1 mutants demon-shated that these mutants are Q auxotrophs. CLK-1 is a mitochondrial polypeptide with sequence and functional conservation from human to yeast. Tire Saccharomyces cerevisiae homolog CoqVp is essential for ubiquinone synthesis and thus respuation. Development of the clk-1 mutants requires a dietary source of Coenzyme... 

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