Structure of the copper sites in membrane-bound cytochrome c oxidase

Direct action of T3 on phosphorylation potential in the sheep heart in vivo

Thyroid acting through ligand binding to nuclear receptors modifies myocardial respiratory kinetics and oxidative phosphorylation in the heart. Direct nongenomic action of thyroid hormone on high-energy phosphate concentrations and respiratory kinetics has never been proven in vivo but might be responsible for observed changes in oxygen utilization efficiency immediately after triiodothyronine (T3) administration. We tested the hypothesis that T3 directly and rapidly modifies myocardial high-energy phosphate concentrations and phosphorylation potential in vivo. Anesthetized sheep (age 28-40 days) thyroidectomized shortly after birth (Thy) and euthyroid age-matched controls (Con) underwent median sternotomy and received T3 infusion (0.8 microg/kg), followed by epinephrine infusion to increase myocardial oxygen consumption (MVo2). 31P magnetic resonance spectra were monitored via a surface coil over the left ventricle. T3 increased phosphocreatine (PCr)/ATP and decreased ADP in Thy animals without causing a change in MVo2. T3 produced no changes in high-energy phosphates in Con animals. T3 did not modify the PCr/ATP or ADP response to epinephrine and elevation in MVo2 in either group. Cardiac mitochondria isolated from Thy and Con animals showed no change in respiratory rate or ADP/ATP exchange efficiency after T3 incubation. T3 infusion in a hypothyroid state decreases ADP concentration, thereby altering the equilibrium between phosphorylation potential and myocardial respiratory rate. These T3-induced effects are not due to changes in ADP/ATP exchange efficiency through action at the adenine nucleotide translocator but may be due to T3 mediation of substrate utilization, confirmed in other models.

Structure of the binuclear heme iron-copper site in the quinol-oxidizing cytochrome aa3 from Bacillus subtilis

Cytochrome aa3-600 is a terminal quinol oxidase of Bacillus subtilis, belonging to the large family of structurally and functionally related respiratory enzymes to which the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase also belongs. However, the CuA center typical of the cytochrome c oxidases is lacking from cytochrome aa3-600. The presence of only one copper, viz. CuB of the binuclear heme iron-copper site, makes cytochrome aa3-600 especially suitable for XAS analysis of this structure. Cu and Fe XAS data for fully oxidized cytochrome aa3-600 indicate a structure for the binuclear site similar to that previously reported for mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase (see Powers et al. (1981) Biophys. J. 34, 465-468). Heme Fea3 has a proximal histidine nitrogen ligand 2.10 +/- 0.02 A from the iron, and a distal S or Cl ligand at 2.36 +/- 0.03 A. The latter is also a ligand of CuB (2.21 +/- 0.02 A), and apparently forms a bridge between the two metals which are 3.70 +/- 0.06 A apart. CuB has two more close-lying ligands at 1.95 +/- 0.02 A, which are likely histidine nitrogens. The similarity between EXAFS of CuB and type 1 'blue' copper is contrasted to EPR and optical spectroscopic properties of CuB, and the nature of the bridging ligand is discussed.

Site-directed mutants of the cytochrome bo ubiquinol oxidase of Escherichia coli: amino acid substitutions for two histidines that are putative CuB ligands

The bo-type ubiquinol oxidase of Escherichia coli is a member of the superfamily of structurally related heme-copper respiratory oxidases. The members of this family, which also includes the aa3-type cytochrome c oxidases, contain at least two heme prosthetic groups, a six-coordinate low-spin heme, and a high-spin heme. The high-spin heme is magnetically coupled to a copper, CuB, forming a binuclear center which is the site of oxygen reduction to water. Vectorial proton translocation across the membrane bilayer appears to be another common feature of this superfamily of oxidases. It has been proposed previously that the two adjacent histidines in putative transmembrane helix VII (H333 and H334 in the E. coli sequence) of the largest subunit of the heme-copper oxidases are ligands to CuB. Previously reported mutagenesis studies of the E. coli bo-type oxidase and the aa3-type oxidase of Rhodobacter sphaeroides supported this model, as substitutions at these two positions produced nonfunctional enzymes but did not perturb the visible spectra of the two heme groups. In this work, six different amino acids, including potential copper-liganding residues, were substituted for H333 and H334 of the E. coli oxidase. All of the mutations resulted in inactive, but assembled, oxidase with both of the heme components present. However, cryogenic Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy of the CO adducts revealed that dramatic changes occur at the binuclear center as a result of each mutation and that CuB appears to be absent.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Magnetic state of the alpha 3 center of cytochrome c oxidase and some of its derivatives

The temperature dependence of the magnetic susceptibility was used to investigate the nature of the coupling between cytochrome alpha 3 and CuB in resting and oxidized cyanide- and formate-bound cytochrome oxidase. Resting and formate-bound enzymes were found to have strong antiferromagnetic coupling with an S = 5/2 cytochrome alpha 3, results that were independent of the dispersing detergent and the enzyme isolation method. The cyanide-bound enzyme was heterogeneous, with a minor fraction showing intermediate strength antiferromagnetic coupling. The magnitude of this coupling was independent of the enzyme isolation method and depended moderately on the identity of the dispersing detergent. The major fraction of the cyanide-bound enzyme had a lowest energy state of Ms = 0. The coupling constant for this fraction did not depend on the isolation technique or on the identity of the dispersing detergent. The use of glucose-glucose oxidase to deoxygenate samples influenced the susceptibility behavior of some preparations of both the resting and formate-bound enzymes, with results indicating an S = 3/2 cytochrome alpha 3 in the resting enzyme samples. Retention of a 417-nm Soret band for formate-bound enzyme concomitant with peroxide-induced changes in susceptibility behavior indicates different sites of enzyme interactions for the formate ion and hydrogen peroxide.

Cytochrome c oxidases: polypeptide composition, role of subunits, and location of active metal centers

The general structure of the enzyme, its polypeptide composition, and a proposal for a rational nomenclature are discussed. The mitochondrially coded and bacterial cytochrome c oxidase subunits have been analyzed with more attention focused on elucidating the number of metals present in the enzyme and the ligands available for their coordination. The picture of a 2 Cu/2 Fe enzyme has been compared with that of a 3 Cu/2 Fe enzyme and a new model is proposed for the location of the metal centers in the enzyme.

Heterogeneity in an isolated membrane protein. Has the 'authentic cytochrome oxidase' been identified?

The criteria of homogeneity or native state of a protein are prone to become ambiguous when applied to membrane proteins, such as cytochrome-c oxidase, which are purified by extraction with detergents. Properties of the purified material depend on the detergent used and on details of the purification protocol followed with any single batch of a preparation. We present arguments to show that the evidence presently available in published form does not justify the designation [(1987) J. Biol. Chem. 262, 3160-3164] of one type of preparation as being closer to the native state than others.