Cytochromec oxidase ofEuglena gracilis: Purification,characterization, and identification of mitochondrially synthesized subunits

Cytochromec oxidase was purified from mitochondria ofEuglena gracilis and separated into 15 different polypeptide subunits by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. All 15 subunits copurify through various purification procedures, and the subunit composition of the isolated enzyme is identical to that of the immunoprecipitated one. Therefore, the 15 protein subunits represent integral components of theEuglena oxidase. In anin vitro protein-synthesizing system using isolated mitochondria, polypeptides 1–3 were radioactive labeled in the presence of [³⁵S]methionine. This further identifies these polypeptides with the three largest subunits of cytochromec oxidse encoded by mitochondrial DNA in other eukaryotic organisms. By subtraction, the other 12 subunits can be assigned to nuclear genes. The isolatedEuglena oxidase was highly active withEuglena cytochromec ₅₅₈ and has monophasic kinetics. Using horse cytochromec ₅₅₀ as a substrate, activity of the isolated oxidase was rather low. These findings correlate with the oxidase activity of mitochondrial membranes. Again, reactivity was low with cytochromec ₅₅₀ and 35-fold higher with theEuglena cytochromec ₅₅₈. The data show that the cytochromec oxidase of the protistEuglena is different from other eukaryotic cytochromec oxidases in number and size of subunits, and also with regard to kinetic properties and substrate specificity.Abbreviations kDa kilodalton - PAGE polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis - SDS sodium dodecyl sulfate - TN turnover number     

Regulation of respiration and ATP synthesis in higher organisms: Hypothesis

The present view on the regulation of respiration and ATP synthesis in higher organisms implies only Michaelis-Menten type kinetics and respiratory control as regulatory principles. Recent experimental observations, suggesting further regulatory mechanisms at respiratory chain complexes, are reviewed. A new hypothesis is presented implying regulation of respiration and ATP synthesis in higher organisms mainly via allosteric modification of respiratory chain complexes, in particular of cytochromec oxidase. The allosteric effectors, e.g., metabolites, cofactors, ions, hormones, and the membrane potential are suggested to change the activity and the coupling degree of cytochromec oxidase by binding to specific sites at nuclear coded subunits. Recent results on the structure and activity of cytochromec oxidase, supporting the hypothesis, are reviewed.Dedicated to Professor Dr. Carl Martius on the occasion of his 80th birthday.     

The reactions of the oxidase and reductases ofParacoccus denitrificans with cytochromesc

Electron transport in theParacoccus denitrificans respiratory chain system is considerably more rapid when it includes the membrane-bound cytochromec ₅₅₂ than with either solubleParacoccus c ₅₅₀ or bovine cytochromec; a pool function for cytochromec is not necessary. Low concentrations ofParacoccus or bovine cytochromec stimulate the oxidase activity. This observation could explain the multiphasic Scatchard plots which are obtained. A negatively charged area on the back side ofParacoccus c which is not present in mitochondrialc could be a control mechanism forParacoccus reactions.Paracoccus oxidase and reductase reactions with bovinec show the same properties as mammalian systems; and this is true ofParacoccus oxidase reactions with its own soluble cytochromec if added polycation masks the negatively charged area. Evidence for different oxidase and reductase reaction sites on cytochromec include: (1) stimulation of the oxidase but not reductase by a polycation; (2) differences in the inhibition of the oxidase and reductases by monoclonal antibodies toParacoccus cytochromec; and (3) reaction of another bacterial cytochromec withParacoccus reductases but not oxidase. Rapid electron transport occurs in cytochromec-less mutants ofParacoccus, suggesting that the reactions result from collision of diffusing complexes.     

Evolutionary aspects of cytochromec oxidase

The presence of additional subunits in cytochrome oxidase distinguish the multicellular eukaryotic enzyme from that of a simple unicellular bacterial enzyme. The number of these additional subunits increases with increasing evolutionary stage of the organism. Subunits I–III of the eukaryotic enzyme are related to the three bacterial subunits, and they are encoded on mito-chondrial DNA. The additional subunits are nuclear encoded. Experimental evidences are presented here to indicate that the lower enzymatic activity of the mammalian enzyme is due to the presence of nuclear-coded subunits. Dissociation of some of the nuclear-coded subunits (e.g., VIa) by laurylmaltoside and anions increased the activity of the rat liver enzyme to a value similar to that of the bacterial enzyme. Further, it is shown that the intraliposomal nucleotides influence the kinetics of ferrocytochromec oxidation by the reconstituted enzyme from bovine heart but not fromP. denitrificans. The regulatory function attributed to the nuclear-coded subunits of mammalian cytochromec oxidase is also demonstrated by the tissue-specific response of the reconstituted enzyme from bovine heart but not from bovine liver to intraliposomal ADP. These enzymes from bovine heart and liver differ in the amino acid sequences of subunits VIa, VIIa, and VIII. The results presented here are taken to indicate a regulation of cytochromec oxidase activity by nuclear-coded subunits which act like receptors for allosteric effectors and influence the catalytic activity of the core enzyme via conformational changes.     

Genes coding for cytochromec oxidase inParacoccus denitrificans

Several loci on theParacoccus denitrificans chromosome are involved in the synthesis of cytochromec oxidase. So far three genetic loci have been isolated. One of them contains the structural genes of subunits II and III, as well as two regulatory genes which probably code for oxidase-specific assembly factors. In addition, two distinct genes for subunit I have been cloned, one of which is located adjacent to the cytochromec ₅₅₀ gene. An alignment of six promoter regions reveals only short common sequences.     

Effect of trypsin on the kinetic properties of reconstituted beef heart cytochromec oxidase

Isolated beef heart cytochromec oxidase was reconstituted in liposomes by the cholate dialysis method with 85% of the binding site for cytochromec oriented to the outside. Trypsin cleaved specifically subunit VIa and half of subunit IV from the reconstituted enzyme. The kinetic properties of the reconstituted enzyme were changed by trypsin treatment if measured by the spectrophotometric assay but not by the polarographic assay. It is concluded that subunit VIa and/or subunit IV participate in the electron transport activity of cytochromec oxidase.     

Subunit structures of purified beef mitochondrial cytochromebc 1 complex from liver and heart

The existence of tissue-specific isozymes of cytochromec oxidase has been widely documented. We have now studied if there are differences between subunits of mitochondrialbc ₁ complexes isolated from liver and heart. For this purpose, we have developed a method for the purification of an active ubiquinol-cytochromec oxidoreductase from adult bovine liver that includes solubilization of submitochondrial particles with deoxycholate, ammonium acetate fractionation, resolubilization with dodecyl maltoside, and ion exchange chromatography. The electrophoretic pattern of the liver preparation showed the presence of 11 subunits, with apparent molecular weights identical to the ones reported for the heart complex. Western blot analysis and isoelectric focusing followed by two-dimensional gels ofbc ₁ complexes from liver and heart were compared, and no qualitative differences were observed. In addition, the high-molecular-weight subunits of the purified complexes from both tissues, subunits I, II, V, and VI, were isolated by PAGE in the presence of Coomasie Blue and subjected to limited proteolysis and to chemical digestion with cyanogen bromide and BNPS-skatol, and the peptide patterns were compared. Finally, two of the small-molecular-weight subunits from the liver complex were isolated (subunits VII and X), partially analyzed by amino terminal sequencing, and found to be identical with the reported sequence of their heart counterparts. The data suggest that, in contrast to the case of cytochromec oxidase,bc ₁ complexes from liver and heart do not exhibit tissue-specific differences.     

Structure of cytochromec oxidase from baker's yeast—a progress report. Preparation of four subunits for amino acid sequence determination and attempts to localize the cytochromec binding site

Summary Cytochromec oxidase from the inner membrane of yeast mitochondria consists of seven nonidentical protein subunits, three being synthesized on mitochondrial ribosomes (molecular weights I: 43 K, II: 34 K, and III: 24 K) and four being made on cytoplasmic ribosomes (molecular weights IV: 14 K, V: 12 K, VI: 12 K, and VII: 4.5 K).In the present study all four cytoplasmically synthesized subunits of the enzyme were isolated on a large scale using ion exchange chromatography and gel filtartion. Their amino acid composition as well as their amino- and carboxy-terminal amino acid residues have been determined. Sequence determinations of sub-units IV and VI are already in an advanced state. The sequence of subunit VI is characterized by a large amino-terminal stretch dominated by charged amino acid residues followed by a cluster of hydrophobic amino acids.The binding site of yeast cytochrome oxidase for cytochromec was studied by chemical crosslinking experiments. The formation of a disulfide bridge between the two proteins was observed by using cytochromec from yeast modified with 5-thionitrobenzoate at the cysteinyl residue in position 107. Alternatively, a disulfide between yeast cytochromec and the oxidase could be formed directly by oxidation with copper phenanthroline. Gel electrophoresis of the crosslinked complexes in sodium dodecyl sulfate revealed a new protein band with an apparent molecular weight of 38 K. This new band appears to be derived from cytochromec and from subunit III of cytochrome oxidase.Recipient of a fellowship from the Swiss National Science Foundation. Present address: Department of Biology, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, Calif. 92037 (USA).     

C1 metabolism inParacoccus denitrificans: Genetics ofParacoccus denitrificans

Paracoccus denitrificans is able to grow on the C₁ compounds methanol and methylamine. These compounds are oxidized to formaldehyde which is subsequently oxidized via formate to carbon dioxide. Biomass is produced by carbon dioxide fixation via the ribulose biphosphate pathway. The first oxidation reaction is catalyzed by the enzymes methanol dehydrogenase and methylamine dehydrogenase, respectively. Both enzymes contain two different subunits in an ₂₂ configuration. The genes encoding the subunits of methanol dehydrogenase (moxF andmoxI) have been isolated and sequenced. They are located in one operon together with two other genes (moxJ andmoxG) in the gene ordermoxFJGI. The function of themoxJ gene product is not yet known.MoxG codes for a cytochromec _551i , which functions as the electron acceptor of methanol dehydrogenase. Both methanol dehydrogenase and methylamine dehydrogenase contain PQQ as a cofactor. These so-called quinoproteins are able to catalyze redox reactions by one-electron steps. The reaction mechanism of this oxidation will be described. Electrons from the oxidation reaction are donated to the electron transport chain at the level of cytochromec. P. denitrificans is able to synthesize at least 10 differentc-type cytochromes. Five could be detected in the periplasm and five have been found in the cytoplasmic membrane. The membrane-bound cytochromec ₁ and cytochromec ₅₅₂ and the periplasmic-located cytochromec ₅₅₀ are present under all tested growth conditions. The cytochromesc _551i andc _553i , present in the periplasm, are only induced in cells grown on methanol, methylamine, or choline. The otherc-type cytochromes are mainly detected either under oxygen limited conditions or under anaerobic conditions with nitrate as electron acceptor or under both conditions. An overview including the induction pattern of allP. denitrificans c-type cytochromes will be given. The genes encoding cytochromec ₁, cytochromec ₅₅₀, cytochromec _551i , and cytochromec _553i have been isolated and sequenced. By using site-directed mutagenesis these genes were mutated in the genome. The mutants thus obtained were used to study electron transport during growth on C₁ compounds. This electron transport has also been studied by determining electron transfer rates inin vitro experiments. The exact pathways, however, are not yet fully understood. Electrons from methanol dehydrogenase are donated to cytochromec _551i . Further electron transport is either via cytochromec ₅₅₀ or cytochromec _553i to cytochromeaa ₃. However, direct electron transport from cytochromec _551i to the terminal oxidase might be possible as well. Electrons from methylamine dehydrogenase are donated to amicyanin and then via cytochromec ₅₅₀ to cytochromeaa ₃, but other routes are used also.P. denitrificans is studied by several groups by using a genetic approach. Several genes have already been cloned and sequenced and a lot of mutants have been isolated. The development of a host/vector system and several techniques for mutation induction that are used inP. denitrificans genetics will be described.     

The K+-ionophores nonactin and valinomycin interact differently with the protein of reconstituted cytochromec oxidase

The K⁺-ionophores valinomycin and nonactin induce a qualitatively identical change of the visible spectrum of isolated oxidized cytochromec oxidase (red shift), but the amplitude is half with nonactin. Valinomycin, in the presence or absence of a protonophore, stimulates the respiration of the reconstituted enzyme to a higher extent than nonactin and results in a higherK _m for cytochromec. In contrast, nonactin causes a fivefold rate of proton conductivity across a liposomal membrane, after induction of a K⁺-diffusion potential. The data indicate that respiratory control by these antibiotics is not only due to degradation of a membrane potential, but rather to specific interaction with and modification of cytochromec oxidase.     

Quantitation and Characterization of CytochromecOxidase in Complex Systems

Quantitation of cytochromecoxidase in complex systems such as tissue homogenates is often hampered by the presence of other hemoproteins. Cyanide can bind to reduced cytochromecoxidase from diverse sources with a dissociation constant in the range of 0.1–0.5 mM and induces a characteristic optical change. This contrasts with the very weak binding of cyanide to reduced forms of many other hemoproteins, including hemoglobin and myoglobin. Hence, difference spectra of cyanide binding to reduced samples can provide an improved method to resolve and quantitate cytochromecoxidase. In addition, the cyanide compound of cytochromecoxidase is photolabile. This property can be exploited to further enhance the sensitivity of detection and analysis of cytochromecoxidase.     

Phospholipids in the cytochrome oxidase reaction

Phospholipids and Emasol activate cytochrome oxidase by increasing its affinity for its substrate, cytochromec. Cardiolipin was most effective in activating cytochrome oxidase among phospholipids tested. Prior formation of a cytochromec-cytochrome oxidase complex changes the effect of phospholipids. In addition to their structural role in the last segment of the electron transport system, phospholipids can protect the enzyme from heat treatment and mercurial inhibition. They facilitate the interaction between cytochrome oxidase and cytochromec, as well as the cytochromec analogue, protamine.     

Cytochromec oxidase fromParacoccus denitrificans in Triton X-100: Aggregation state and kinetics

Cytochromec oxidase fromParacoccus denitrificans was homogenously dispersed in Triton X-100. Using gel exclusion chromatography and sucrose gradient centrifugation analysis a molecular weight of the detergent-protein complex of 155,000 was determined. After subtraction of the bound detergent (111 mol/mol hemeaa ₃) a molecular weight of 85,000 resulted, which agreed well with the model of a monomer containing two subunits. This monomer showed high cytochromec oxidase activity when measured spectrophotometrically in the presence of Triton X-100 (V _max=85 s^–1). The molecular activity, plotted according to Eadie-Hofstee, was monophasic as a function of the cytochromec concentration. AK _m of 3.6×10^–6 M was evaluated, similar to theK _m observed in the presence of dodecyl maltoside [Naeczet al. (1985).Biochim. Biophys. Acta 808, 259–272].     

Cytochromec oxidase inParacoccus denitrificans. Protein,chemical, structural,and evolutionary aspects

Preparations and protein chemical characterizations performed with cytochromec oxidase (E.C. 1.9.3.1) from the purple bacteriumParacoccus denitrificans are reviewed. The simplest catalytically competent complex of the enzyme consists of two subunits of 62012 and 27999 Da. The theoretical hemea/protein ratio of the purified enzyme is 22.0 nmol/mg. The amino acid sequences of both proteins are compared with examples of subunits I and II of mitochondrial terminal oxidases from the main kingdoms of eukaryotes. The significance of the emerging conserved features such as membrane penetration patterns, invariant residues, stoichiometry, and sites of prosthetic groups are discussed. TheParacoccus enzyme represents the only prokaryotic oxidase detailed so far, which is directly related to the mitochondrial oxidases by common ancestry in the growing O₂ atmosphere.     

Interactions involving the cyanine dye,diS-C3-(5), cytochromec and liposomes and their implications for estimations of Δψ in cytochromec oxidase-reconstituted proteoliposomes

Summary The interference of cytochromec with absorption and fluorescence changes of the cyanine dye, diS-C₃-(5), was investigated in the presence of liposomes and cytochromec-oxidase reconstituted proteoliposomes. The apparent cytochromec-dependent quenching of diS-C₃-(5) fluorescence, and the associated absorbance losses in the presence of liposomes and proteoliposomes in low ionic strength media, are due to destruction of the dye caused by cytochromec-mediated lipid peroxidation. The rate of this reaction was further enhanced in the presence of hydrogen peroxide. Even in the absence of liposomes or proteoliposomes, a cytochromec-induced breakdown of dye was observed in the presence of hydrogen peroxide.The cytochromec mediated absorbance and fluorescence losses of diS-C₃-(5) in liposomal or proteoliposomal systems are prevented by Ca²⁺ and La³⁺ ions, by ascorbate, by high ionic strength and by the antioxidant BHT. Under these conditions, the process of lipid peroxidation mediated by cytochromec is inhibited either directly (e. g. by BHT) or indirectly, by preventing the binding of cytochromec to lipid vesicles. The impact of these findings upon the experimental estimation of membrane potential inaa ₃-reconstituted proteoliposomes is discussed.     

Functional binding of cardiolipin to cytochromec oxidase

Bovine cytochromec oxidase usually contains 3–4 mol of tightly bound cardiolipin per cytochromeaa ₃ complex. At least two of these cardiolipins are required for full electron transport activity. Without the tightly bound cardiolipin, cytochromec oxidase has only 40–50% of its original activity when assayed in detergents that support activity, e.g., dodecyl maltoside. By measuring the restoration of electron transport activity, functional binding constants for cardiolipin and a number of cardiolipin analogues have been evaluated (K _d,app=1 µM for cardiolipin). These binding constants agree reasonably well with direct measurement of the binding using [¹⁴C]-acetyl-cardiolipin (K _d <0.1 µM) when the enzyme is solubilized with Triton X-100. These data are discussed in relationship to the wealth of data that is known about the association of cardiolipin with cytochromec oxidase and the other mitochrondrial electron transport complexes and transporters.     

Overexpression and Purification of CytochromecOxidase fromRhodobacter sphaeroides

Theaa₃-type cytochromecoxidase ofRhodobacter sphaeroideshas been overexpressed up to seven fold over that in wild-type strains by engineering a multicopy plasmid with all the required oxidase genes and by establishing optimum growth conditions. The two operons containing the three structural genes and two assembly genes for cytochromecoxidase were ligated into a pUC19 vector and reintroduced into several oxidase-deletedR. sphaeroidesstrains. Under conditions of relatively high pH and maximal aeration, high levels of expression were observed. A smaller expression vector, pBBR1MCS, and a fructose promoter (fruP)⁵were found not to enhance cytochromecoxidase expression inR. sphaeroides.An improved cytochromecoxidase purification protocol is reported, which combines histidine elution from a nickel affinity column and anion-exchange chromatography, and results in a higher yield and purity than previously obtained.     

The cytochromec reductase/oxidase respiratory pathway ofParacoccus denitrificans: Genetic and functional studies

Data are presented on three components of the quinol oxidation branch of theParacoccus respiratory chain: cytochromec reductase, cytochromec ₅₅₂, and thea-type terminal oxidase. Deletion mutants in thebc ₁ and theaa ₃ complex give insight into electron pathways, assembly processes, and stability of both redox complexes, and, moreover, are an important prerequisite for future site-directed mutagenesis experiments. In addition, evidence for a role of cytochromec ₅₅₂ in electron transport between complex III and IV is presented.     

Photo-oxidation of membrane-bound and soluble cytochromec in the green sulfur bacteriumChlorobium tepidum

We studied the photosynthetic electron transfer system of membrane-bound and soluble cytochromec inChlorobium tepidum, a thermophilic green sulfur bacterium, using whole cells and membrane preparations. Sulfide and thiosulfate, physiological electron donors, enhanced flash-induced photo-oxidation ofc-type cytochromes in whole cells. In membranes,c-553 cytochromes with two (or three) heme groups served as immediate electron donors for photo-oxidized bacteriochlorophyll (P840) in the reaction center, and appeared to be closely associated with the reaction center complex. The membrane-bound cytochromec-553 had anE _m-value of 180 mV. When isolated soluble cytochromec-553, which has an apparent molecular weight of 10 kDa and seems to correspond to the cytochromec-555 inChlorobium limicola andChlorobium vibrioforme, was added to a membrane suspension, rapid photo-oxidation of both soluble and membrane-bound cytochromesc-553 was observed. The oxidation of soluble cytochromec-553 was inhibited by high salt concentrations. In whole cells, photo-oxidation was observed in the absence of exogenous electron donors and re-reduction was inhibited by stigmatellin, an inhibitor of the cytochromebc complex. These results suggest that the role of membrane-bound and soluble cytochromec inC. tepidum is similar to the role of cytochromec in the photosynthetic electron transfer system of purple bacteria.     

The kinetics of electron entry in cytochromec oxidase

Summary The kinetics of electron entry in beef heart cytochromec oxidase have been studied by stopped-flow spectroscopy following chemical modification of the Cu_A site with mercurials. In this derivative Cu_A is no longer reducible by cytochrome c while cytochromea may accept electrons from the latter with rates comparable to the native enzyme. The results indicate that Cu_A is not the exclusive electron entry site in cytochromec oxidase.