title: Control of proteoliposomal cytochrome c oxidase: the partial reactions.
abstract: The steady-state spectroscopic behaviour and the turnover of cytochrome c oxidase incorporated into proteoliposomes have been investigated as functions of membrane potential and pH gradient. The respiration rate is almost linearly dependent on [cytochrome c2+] at high flux, but while the cytochrome a redox state is always dependent on the [cytochrome c2+] steady state, it reaches a maximum reduction level less than 100% in each case. The maximal aerobic steady-state reduction level of cytochrome a is highest in the presence of valinomycin and lowest in the presence of nigericin. The proportion of [cytochrome c2+] required to achieve 50% of maximal reduction of cytochrome a varies with the added ionophores; the apparent redox potential of cytochrome a is most positive in the fully decontrolled system (plus valinomycin and nigericin). At low levels of cytochrome a reduction, the rate of respiration is no longer a linear function of [cytochrome c2+], but is dependent upon the redox state of both cytochromes a and c. That is, proteoliposomal oxidase does not follow Smith-Conrad kinetics at low cytochrome c reduction levels, especially in the controlled states. The control of cytochrome oxidase turnover by delta pH and by delta psi can be explained either by an allosteric model or by a model with reversed electron transfer between the binuclear centre and cytochrome a. Other evidence suggests that the reversed electron transfer model may be the correct one.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Brock University, St. Catharines, Ont., Canada.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nicholls
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017936:Cytochrome a Group; D003574:Cytochrome c Group / Q000378:metabolism; D003580:Cytochromes / Q000378:metabolism; D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV / Q000378:metabolism*; D007700:Kinetics; D008081:Liposomes; D008956:Models, Chemical; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010100:Oxygen / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D017936:Cytochrome a Group; D003574:Cytochrome c Group; D003580:Cytochromes; D008081:Liposomes; D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV; D010100:Oxygen