Semiconduction as the mechanism of the cytochrome oxidase reaction. Low activation energy of semiconduction measured for cytochrome oxidase protein. Solid state theory of cytochrome oxidase predicts observed kinetic peculiarities.

Cytochrome oxidase protein has a measured activation energy of semiconduction much smaller than that of other proteins, falling within the range of the activation energy of the cytochrome oxidase reaction in solution. Many kinetic peculiarities of the cytochrome oxidase reaction difficult to explain by mass-action theories are easily accounted for if semiconduction is assumed to be the controlling mechanism.