The role of the genesnrf EFG andccmFH in cytochromec biosynthesis inEscherichia coli

It has been suggested that two groups ofEscherichia coli genes, theccm genes located in the 47-min region and thenrfEFG genes in the 92-min region of the chromosome, are involved in cytochromec biosynthesis during anaerobic growth. The involvement of the products of these genes in cytochromec synthesis, assembly and secretion has now been investigated. Despite their similarity to other bacterial cytochromec assembly proteins, NrfE, F and G were found not to be required for the biosynthesis of any of thec-type cytochromes inE. coli. Furthermore, these proteins were not required for the secretion of the periplasmic cytochromes, cytochromec ₅₅₀ and cytochromec ₅₅₂, or for the correct targeting of the NapC and NrfB cytochromes to the cytoplasmic membrane. NrfE and NrfG are required for formate-dependent nitrite reduction (the Nrf pathway), which involves at least twoc-type cytochromes, cytochromec ₅₅₂ and NrfB, but NrfF is not essential for this pathway. Genes similar tonrfE, nrfF andnrfG are present in theE. coli nap-ccm locus at minute 47. CcmF is similar to NrfE, the N-terminal region of CcmH is similar to NrfF and the C-terminal portion of CcmH is similar to NrfG. In contrast to NrfF, the N-terminal, NrfF-like portion of CcmH is essential for the synthesis of allc-type cytochromes. Conversely, the NrfG-like C-terminal region of CcmH is not essential for cytochromec biosynthesis. The data are consistent with proposals from this and other laboratories that CcmF and CcmH form part of a haem lyase complex required to attach haemc to C-X-X-C-H haem-binding domains. In contrast, NrfE and NrfG are proposed to fulfill a more specialised role in the assembly of the formate-dependent nitrite reductase.     

Soluble cytochromes ofRhodopseudomonas marina

Three acidicc-type cytochromes (c-552,c-550 andc′) were purified from the soluble fraction ofRhodopseudomonas marina. Cytochromec′ is a high-spin cytochrome capable of binding carbon monoxide reversibly to its reduced form. It occurs as a dimer with anM_r of 36700 (estimated by gel filtration) while the monomer has anM_r of 17800 (determined by SDS-acrylamide gel electrophoresis). Cytochromec′ has a midpoint redox potential of +73 mV and an isoelectric point at pH 4.3. Cytochromesc-550 andc-552 are typical low-spin cytochromes. Cytochromec-550 has anM_r of 12500, an isoelectric point at pH 4.5 and a negative redox potential of −163 mV. The molecular properties of cytochromec-552 are as follows:M_r, 18000; isoelectric point, pH 5.4; redox potential, +283 mV.     

Kinetic studies on cytochrome c oxidase by combined EPR and reflectance spectroscopy after rapid freezing

1. Techniques and experiments are described concerned with the millisecond kinetics of EPR-detectable changes brought about in cytochrome c oxidase by reduced cytochrome c and, after reduction with various agents, by reoxidation with O₂ or ferricyanide. Some experiments in the presence of ligands are also reported. Light absorption was monitored by low-temperature reflectance spectroscopy.2. In the rapid phase of reduction of cytochrome c oxidase by cytochrome c (< 50 ms) approx. 0.5 electron equivalent per hame a is transferred mainly to the low-spin heme component of cytochrome c oxidase and partly to the EPR-detectable copper. In a slow phase (> 1 s) the copper is reoxidized and high-spin ferric heme signals appear with a predominant rhombic component. Simultaneously the absorption band at 655 nm decreases and the Soret band at 444 nm appears between the split Soret band (442 and 447 nm) of reduced cytochrome a.3. On reoxidation of reduced enzyme by oxygen all EPR and optical features are restored within 6 ms. On reoxidation by O₂ in the presence of an excess of reduced cytochrome c, states can be observed where the low-spin heme and copper signals are largely absent but the absorption at 655 nm is maximal, indicating that the low-spin heme and copper components are at the substrate side and the component(s) represented in the 655 nm absorption at the O₂ side of the system. On reoxidation with ferricyanide the 655 nm absorption is not readily restored but a ferric high-spin heme, represented by a strong rhombic signal, accumulates.4. On reoxidation of partly reduced enzyme by oxygen, the rhombic high-spin signals disappear within 6 ms, whereas the axial signals disappear more slowly, indicating that these species are not in rapid equilibrium. Similar observations are made when partly reduced enzyme is mixed with CO.5. The results of this and the accompanying paper are discussed and on this basis an assignment of the major EPR signals and of the 655 nm absorption is proposed, which in essence is that published previously (Hartzell, C. R., Hansen, R. E. and Beinert, H. (1973) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S. 70, 2477–2481). Both the low-spin (g = 3; 2.2; 1.5) and slowly appearing high-spin (g = 6; 2) signals are attributed to ferric cytochrome a, whereas the 655 nm absorption is thought to arise from ferric cytochrome a₃, when it is present in a state of interaction with EPR-undetectable copper. Alternative possibilities and possible inconsistencies with this proposal are discussed.     

The role of the genesnrf EFG andccmFH in cytochromec biosynthesis inEscherichia coli

It has been suggested that two groups ofEscherichia coli genes, theccm genes located in the 47-min region and thenrfEFG genes in the 92-min region of the chromosome, are involved in cytochromec biosynthesis during anaerobic growth. The involvement of the products of these genes in cytochromec synthesis, assembly and secretion has now been investigated. Despite their similarity to other bacterial cytochromec assembly proteins, NrfE, F and G were found not to be required for the biosynthesis of any of thec-type cytochromes inE. coli. Furthermore, these proteins were not required for the secretion of the periplasmic cytochromes, cytochromec ₅₅₀ and cytochromec ₅₅₂, or for the correct targeting of the NapC and NrfB cytochromes to the cytoplasmic membrane. NrfE and NrfG are required for formate-dependent nitrite reduction (the Nrf pathway), which involves at least twoc-type cytochromes, cytochromec ₅₅₂ and NrfB, but NrfF is not essential for this pathway. Genes similar tonrfE, nrfF andnrfG are present in theE. coli nap-ccm locus at minute 47. CcmF is similar to NrfE, the N-terminal region of CcmH is similar to NrfF and the C-terminal portion of CcmH is similar to NrfG. In contrast to NrfF, the N-terminal, NrfF-like portion of CcmH is essential for the synthesis of allc-type cytochromes. Conversely, the NrfG-like C-terminal region of CcmH is not essential for cytochromec biosynthesis. The data are consistent with proposals from this and other laboratories that CcmF and CcmH form part of a haem lyase complex required to attach haemc to C-X-X-C-H haem-binding domains. In contrast, NrfE and NrfG are proposed to fulfill a more specialised role in the assembly of the formate-dependent nitrite reductase.     

Heme-heme interaction in cytochrome c oxidase: the cooperativity of the hemes of cytochrome c oxidase as evidenced in the reaction with CO

Isolated and purified cytochrome c oxidase from beef heart muscle mitochondria (Kuboyama et al. (1972) J. Biol. Chem.247, 6375–6383) is shown to be very similar to the hemoprotein in situ with respect to its EPR absorption properties and the half-reduction potentials of the hemes and copper. The half-reduction potentials of cytochromes a and a₃ in the purified cytochrome c oxidase are 205 mV and 360 mV, respectively, and these values are the same in the presence and absence of cytochrome c.Low-temperature EPR spectra show that the binding of CO to reduced cytochrome a₃ changes the oxidized cytochrome a from high spin (g 6) to low spin (g 3). In samples at 5–8 °K the photodissociation of the reduced cytochrome a₃CO compound shifts the spectrum of the oxidized low-spin cytochrome a to a lower g value and converts approximately 5% of the low-spin form to a high-spin form. The heme-heme interaction demonstrated in this reaction is very fast as evidenced by the fact that even at 5 °K the measured change in oxidized cytochrome is complete within 5 msec.     

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.     

On the purification of nitrite reductase from Thiobacillus denitrificans and its reaction with nitrite under reducing conditions.

Nitrite reductase (cytochrome $\text{cd}$) from $\text{T. denitrificans}$ has been crystallized in high yield in three simple and rapid steps. The spectral absorption ratio at 408 to 280 nm was 1.52. Light absorption spectra in the oxidized and reduced states were virtually identical to those of nitrite reductase from $\text{P. aeruginosa}$. EPR spectroscopy of nitrite reductase at 12° showed a low-spin ferric heme resonance with g-values at 2.52, 2.45 and 1.73 assigned to the d-heme. Reaction of nitrite reductase with nitrite in the presence of the reducing systems [(ascorbate + PMS) or sulfide] resulted in the formation of nitric oxide (confirmed by gas chromatography) which reacted with both $\text{c}$- and $\text{d}$-hemes of nitrite reductase yielding an EPR-detectable enzyme-NO complex with g-values at 2.07, 2.04 and 1.99 and a ¹⁴N hyperfine splitting constant of 22.5 gauss. The amount of nitric oxide produced enzymatically with sulfide as electron donor was only 5% of that found when ascorbate plus PMS served as reductant.To our knowledge the detection of the unique enzyme-NO complex is the first definitive EPR evidence for the mandatory liganding of nitric oxide with pure nitrite reductase during nitrite reduction.     

Structural characterization of a binuclear center of a Cu-containing NO reductase homologue from Roseobacter denitrificans: EPR and resonance Raman studies

Aerobic phototrophic bacterium Roseobacter denitrificans has a nitric oxide reductase (NOR) homologue with cytochrome c oxidase (CcO) activity. It is composed of two subunits that are homologous with NorC and NorB, and contains heme c, heme b, and copper in a 1:2:1 stoichiometry. This enzyme has virtually no NOR activity. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectra of the air-oxidized enzyme showed signals of two low-spin hemes at 15 K. The high-spin heme species having relatively low signal intensity indicated that major part of heme b₃ is EPR-silent due to an antiferromagnetic coupling to an adjacent Cu_B forming a Fe-Cu binuclear center. Resonance Raman (RR) spectrum of the oxidized enzyme suggested that heme b₃ is six-coordinate high-spin species and the other hemes are six-coordinate low-spin species. The RR spectrum of the reduced enzyme showed that all the ferrous hemes are six-coordinate low-spin species. ν(Fe-CO) and ν(C-O) stretching modes were observed at 523 and 1969 cm⁻¹, respectively, for CO-bound enzyme. In spite of the similarity to NOR in the primary structure, the frequency of ν(Fe-CO) mode is close to those of aa₃- and bo₃-type oxidases rather than that of NOR.     

The cytochromes of anaerobically grown Escherichia coli. An electron-paramagnetic-resonance study of the cytochrome bd complex in situ.

The e.p.r. signals attributable to a cytochrome bd-type ubiquinol:O2 oxidoreductase (cytochrome b-558-b-595-d) were studied in a cytoplasmic membrane preparation of Escherichia coli that had been grown on glycerol with fumarate as respiratory-chain oxidant. Two major high-spin ferric haem signals were resolved on the basis of their potentiometric behaviour: a rhombic high-spin species (gx = 6.25, gy = 5.54) was assigned to haem b-595, and an axial high-spin (gx = 5.97, gy = 5.96) species was assigned to the haem d. These signals titrated with Em.7 values of 154 and 261 mV respectively, corresponding closely to optically determined values for haem b-595 and haem d. At high potentials (greater than 300 mV) the rhombic species attributable to haem b-595 underwent a partial transition to a second rhombic species with g-values of 6.24 (gx) and 5.67 (gy). The high-spin ferric haem spectra were affected by O2, CO, cyanide and pH. A low-spin ferric haem signal was observed at g = 3.3 (gz), which titrated with an Em.7 of 226 mV, and this was assigned to haem b-558. The data support a model for cytochrome bd with two ligand-binding sites, a single haem d and a single haem b-595.     

Studies on the bacterial hemoglobin fromVitreoscilla

Summary Vitreoscilla contained a homodimeric bacterial hemoglobin (VtHb). The purification of this protein yielded VtmetHb which exhibited electronic and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectra, showing that it existed predominantly in a high-spin ferric form, both axial and rhombic components being present. The preparations also contained variable amounts of low-spin components. There was no evidence that these high-spin and low-spin forms were in equilibrium. The former were reducible by NADH catalyzed by the NADH-metVtHb reductase, and the latter were not. High ionic strength and high pH led to the formation of low-spin metVtHb; both treatments were reversible. Cyanide and imidazole liganded to VtHb resulted in the conversion of high-spin to low-spin ferric heme centers, each with characteristic electronic and EPR spectra. Some preparations of VtHb exhibited EPR signals consistent with a sulfur ligand bound to the ferric site. When VtHb was treated with NADH plus the reductase in the presence of oxygen, the intensity of the high-spin EPR signals decreased significantly. No reduction occurred in the absence of oxygen, suggesting a possible role for the superoxide anion. Dithionite treatment of VtHb resulted in a slow reduction, but the main product of the reaction of dithionite-reduced VtHb with oxygen was VtmetHb, not VtHbO₂. EPR spectra of whole cells ofVitreoscilla exhibited a variety of intense signals at low and high magnetic field, theg-values being consistent with the presence of high-spin ferric heme proteins, in addition to an iron-containing superoxide dismutase (FeSOD) and iron-sulfur proteins. EPR spectra of the cytosol fraction ofVitreoscilla showed the expected resonances for VtmetHb and FeSOD.Abbreviations A absorbance - DEAE diethylaminoethyl - EDTA ethylenediamine tetraacetate - EPR electron paramagnetic resonance - HiPIP high-potential iron protein - SDS sodium dodecyl sulfate - SOD superoxide dismutase - VtHb Vitreoscilla hemoglobin - VtmetHb oxidizedVitreoscilla hemoglobin - VtHbO₂ oxygenatedVitreoscilla hemoglobin     

The Cytochromes of Prototheca zopfii

The respiratory pigments of Prototheca zopfii include seven cytochromes: two c-type cytochromes, a soluble c(549) and a membrane bound c(551); three b-type cytochromes, b(555), b(559) and b(564); and cytochromes a and a₃. Cytochromes a and a₃ could be resolved spectrally in the α-band region by reducing the cells in the presence of methanol and cyanide. Methanol shifted the absorption maximum of cytochrome a from 598 to 603 nanometers and permitted dithionite (or substrate) to reduce the cyanide-cytochrome a₃ complex to give a well defined 595-nanometer absorption band. Methanol did not interfere with CO binding by cytochrome a₃, and CO did not alter the methanol effect on cytochrome a. Azide and cyanide, which partially inhibited exogenous respiration, stimulated endogenous respiration. Frozen steady states of the electron transport chain in the presence of cyanide and azide indicated that the stimulation by these inhibitors was due to an increased autooxidation of one of the b-type cytochromes, possibly b(564).     

Proton NMR study of coordinated imidazoles in low-spin ferric heme complexes. Assignment of single proton histidine resonance in hemoproteins

The proton signals for the coordinated axial imidazoles in a series of low-spin ferric bis-imidazole complexes with natural porphyrin derivatives have been located and assigned. The methyl signals of several methyl-substituted imidazoles have also been resolved for the mixed ligand complexes of imidazole and cyanide ion. The imidazole spectra for the bis complexes are essentially the same as those reported earlier for synthetic porphyrins, with the hyperfine shifts exhibiting comparable contributions from the dipolar and contract interactions. The contact contribution reflects spin transfer into a vacant imidazole π orbital. The spectra of both the mono- and bis-imidazole complex concur in predicting that only the 2-H and 5CH₂ signals of an axial histidine are likely to resonate clearly outside the diamagnetic 0 to ?10 ppm from TMS region in hemoproteins. However, both the 2-H and 4-H imidazole peaks are found to be too broad to detect in a hemoprotein. Hence, it is suggested that the pair of non-heme, single proton resonances in low-spin met-myoglobin cyanides arise from the non-equivalent methylene protons at the 5-position of the histidyl imidazole. Both the resonance positions and relative linewidths in the model compounds are consistent with the data for this pair of protons in myoglobins. The possible interpretations of the average downfield bias of these signals as well as the magnitude of their spacing, are discussed in terms of the conformation of the proximal histidine relative to the heme group.     

Oxido-reductive titrations of cytochrome c oxidase followed by EPR spectroscopy

Experiments are described on oxido-reductive titrations of cytochrome c oxidase as followed by low-temperature EPR and reflectance spectroscopy. The reductants were cytochrome c or NADH and the oxidant ferricyanide. Experiments were conducted in the presence and absence of either cytochrome c or carbon monoxide, or both. An attempt is made to provide a complete quantitative balance of the changes observed in the major EPR signals. During reduction, the maximal quantity of heme represented in the high-spin ferric heme signals (g ～ 6; 2) is 25% of the total heme present, and during reoxidation 30%. With NADH reduction there is little difference between the pattern of disappearance of the low-spin ferric heme signals in the absence or presence of cytochrome c. The copper and high-spin heme signals, however, disappear at higher titrant concentrations in the presence of cytochrome c than in its absence. In these titrations, as well as in those with ferrocytochrome c, the quantitative balance indicates that, in addition to EPR-detectable components, EPR-undetectable components are also reduced, increasingly so at higher titrant concentrations. The quantity of EPR-undetectable components reduced appears to be inversely related to pH. A similar inverse relationship exists between pH and appearance of high-spin signals during the titration. At pH 9.3 the quantity of heme represented in the high-spin signals is < 5%, whereas it approximately doubles from pH 7.4 to pH 6.1. In the presence of CO less of the low-spin heme and copper signals disappears for the same quantity of titrant consumed, again implying reduction of EPR undetectable components. At least one of these components is represented in a broad absorption band centered at 655 nm. The stoichiometry observed on reoxidation, particularly in the presence of CO, is not compatible with the notion that the copper signal represents 100% of the active copper of the enzyme as a pair of interacting copper atoms.     

The respiratory chain of Paramecium tetraurelia in wild type and the mutant Cl1 I. Spectral properties and redox potentials

1. Purified mitochondria have been prepared from wild type Paramecium tetraurelia and from the mutant Cl₁ which lacks cytochrome aa₃. Both mitochondrial preparations are characterized by cyanide insensitivity. Their spectral properties and their redox potentials have been studied.2. Difference spectra (dithionite reduced minus oxidized) of mitochondria from wild type P. tetraurelia at 77 K revealed the α peaks of b-type cytochrome(s) at 553 and 557 nm, of c-type cytochrome at 549 nm and a-type cytochrome at 608 nm. Two α peaks at 549 and 545 nm could be distinguished in the isolated cytochrome c at 77 K. After cytochrome c extraction from wild type mitochondria, a new peak at 551 nm was unmasked, probably belonging to cytochrome c₁. The a-type cytochrome was characterized by a split Soret band with maxima at 441 and 450 nm. The mitochondria of the mutant Cl₁ in exponential phase of growth differed from the wild type mitochondria in that cytochrome aa₃ was absent while twice the quantity of cytochrome b was present. In stationary phase, mitochondria of the mutant were characterized by a new absorption peak at 590 nm.3. Cytochrome aa₃ was present at a concentration of 0.3 nmol/mg protein in wild type mitochondria and ubiquinone at a concentration of 8 nmol/mg protein both in mitochondria of the wild type and the mutant Cl₁. Cytochrome aa₃ was more susceptible to heat than cytochromes b and c,c₁.4. CO difference spectra at 77 K revealed two different Co-cytochrome complexes. The first, found only in wild type mitochondria, was a typical CO-cytochrome a₃ complex characterized by peaks at 596 and 435 nm and troughs at 613 and 450 nm. The second, found both in mitochondria of the wild type and the mutant, was a CO-cytochrome b complex with peaks at 567, 539 and 420 nm and a trough at 558-549 nm. Both complexes are photo-dissociable.5. Spectral evidence was obtained for interaction of cyanide with the a-type cytochrome (shift of the α peak at 77 K from 608 to 605 nm), but not with the b-type cytochrome.6. The mid-point potentials of the different cytochromes at neutral pH are as follows: cytochrome aa₃ 235 and 395 mV, cytochrome c,c₁ 233 mV, cytochromes b 120 mV.     

The respiratory electron transport system of heterotrophically-grown Rhodopseudomonas palustris

The enzymatic activities and the cytochrome components of the respiratory chain were investigated with membrane fractions from chemoheterotrophically grown Rhodopseudomonas palustris. Whereas the level of electron transfer carriers was not distinctly affected by a change of the culture conditions, the potential activities of the enzymes were clearly increased when the cells were grown aerobically. Reduced-minus oxidized difference spectra of the membrane fractions prepared from dark aerobically grown cells revealed the presence of three b-type cytochromes b ₅₆₁, b ₅₆₀ and b ₅₅₈, and at least two c-type cytochromes c ₅₅₆ and c ₂ as electron carriers in the electron transfer chain. Cytochrome of a-type could not be detected in these membranes. Reduced plus CO minus reduced difference spectra of the membrane fractions were indicative of cytochrome o, which may be equivalent to cytochrome b ₅₆₀, appearing in substrate-reduced minus oxidized difference spectra. Cytochrome o was found to be the functional terminal oxidase. CO difference spectra of the high speed supernatant fraction indicated the presence of cytochrome c′. Succinate and NADH reduced the same types of cytochromes. However, a considerable amount of cytochrome b ₅₆₁ with associated β and γ bands at 531 and 429 nm, respectively, was reducible by succinate, but not by NADH. A substantial fraction of the membrane-bound b-type cytochrome was non-substrate reducible and was found in dithionite-reduced minus substrate-reduced spectra. Cytochrome c ₂ may be localized in a branch of the electron transport system, with the branch-point at the level of ubiquinone. The separate pathways rejoined at a common terminal oxidase. Two terminal oxidases with different KCN sensitivity were present in the respiratory chain, one of which was sensitive to low concentrations of KCN and was connected with the cytochrome chain. The other terminal oxidase which was inhibited only by high concentrations of cyanide was located in a branched pathway, through which the electrons could flow from ubiquinone to oxygen bypassing the cytochrome chain.     

Electron transport in the membrane of lutoids from the latex ofHevea brasiliensis

1. An antimycin-insensitive NADH-cytochromec oxidoreductase (E.C. 1.6.99.3) activity can be demonstrated in the membrane of lutoids isolated from the latex ofHevea brasiliensis. This electron transport system can also use ferricyanide as an electron acceptor, but is unable to oxidize NADPH.2. Twob-type cytochromes are present in the membranes. Cytochromeb₅₆₃ is partially reduced by NADH and ascorbate, but is not reducible by NADPH. It shows a double peak at 555 and 561 nm at 77 °K. A second cytochrome, cytochromeb₅₆₁, seems to be reducible by hydrosulfite only.3. In the reduced state, these cytochromes do not combine with CO. The occurrence of cytochromeP-450 could not be demonstrated.4. The role of the NADH oxidation system is considered in relation to the biosynthesis of polyisoprene compounds in the latex.     

Studies of the orientation of the mitochondrial redox carriers III. Orientation of the gx and gy axes of the hemes of cytochrome oxidase with respect to the plane of the membrane in oriented membrane multilayers

The EPR absorption properties of the hemes of cytochrome oxidase and their liganded derivatives were examined in oriented multilayers from isolated oxidase, mitochondrial membranes and membrane fragments of a bacterium, Paracoccus denitrificans. The hemes of the oxidase in all the systems investigated were oriented normal to the plane of the multilayers. The directions of the g signals corresponding to the g_x and g_y axes of the g tensor were found to be different in low-spin ferric heme in fully oxidized oxidase and in half-reduced liganded oxidase. It is suggested that this different orientation of g_x and g_y in fully oxidized oxidase and half-reduced liganded oxidase arises because the respective EPR signals belong to two different hemes, those of cytochrome a and a₃.     

The oxidation mechanisms of thiosulphate and sulphide in Chlorobium thiosulphatophilum: Roles of cytochrome c-551 and cytochrome c-553

A thiosulphate-cytochrome c reductase was highly purified from Chlorobium thiosulphatophilum and its properties were studied. The enzyme catalyses reduction with Na₂S₂O₃ of c cytochromes, including cytochrome c-551 of the bacterium. Cytochrome c (555, C. thiosulphatophilum) does not react directly with the enzyme at an appreciable rate but stimulates greatly the reduction by the enzyme of cytochrome c-551 with Na₂S₂O₃. The reduction of c cytochromes catalysed by the enzyme is strongly inhibited by cyanide and sulphite.Cytochrome c (553, C. thiosulphatophilum), a c-type cytochrome with covalently bound flavin, was found to catalyse reduction with sulphide of c cytochromes, including cytochrome c-555. The reaction is strongly inhibited by cyanide. Cyanide seems to combine strongly with cytochrome c-553 probably at the flavin moiety. Thus, the absorption spectrum attributable to flavin of the haemoprotein is changed on addition of cyanide, and neither the original spectrum nor the activity reappears even after the cyanide-treated cytochrome has been subjected to gel filtration with a Sephadex G-25 column or to isoelectric focusing.     

The influence of pH on the EPR and redox properties of cytochrome c oxidase in detergent solution and in phospholipid vesicles

The EPR signals of oxidized and partially reduced cytochrome oxidase have been studied at pH 6.4, 7.4, and 8.4. Isolated cytochrome oxidase in both non-ionic detergent solution and in phospholipid vesicles has been used in reductive titrations with ferrocytochrome c.The g values of the low- and high-field parts of the low-spin heme signal in oxidized cytochrome oxidase are shown to be pH dependent. In reductive titrations, low-spin heme signals at g 2.6 as well as rhombic and nearly axial high-spin heme signals are found at pH 8.4, while the only heme signals appearing at pH 6.4 are two nearly axial g 6 signals. This pH dependence is shifted in the vesicles.The g 2.6 signals formed in titrations with ferrocytochrome c at pH 8.4 correspond maximally to 0.25–0.35 heme per functional unit (aa₃) of cytochrome oxidase in detergent solution and to 0.22 heme in vesicle oxidase. The total amount of high-spin heme signals at g 6 found in partially reduced enzyme is 0.45–0.6 at pH 6.4 and 0.1–0.2 at pH 8.4. In titrations of cytochrome oxidase in detergent solution the g 1.45 and g 2 signals disappear with fewer equivalents of ferrocytochrome c added at pH 8.4 compared to pH 6.4.The results indicate that the environment of the hemes varies with the pH. One change is interpreted as cytochrome a₃ being converted from a high-spin to a low-spin form when the pH is increased. Possibly this transition is related to a change of a liganded H₂O to OH^? with a concomitant decrease of the redox potential. Oxidase in phosphatidylcholine vesicles is found to behave as if it experiences a pH, one unit lower than that of the medium.