Nitric oxide, cytochrome-c oxidase and myoglobin.
Myoglobin, the monomeric haemoprotein expressed in red muscle, is reported in biochemistry and physiology textbooks to function as an intracellular oxygen carrier and oxygen reservoir. Here, Maurizio Brunori argues that myoglobin can also play the role of intracellular scavenger of nitric oxide, an inhibitor of mitochondrial cytochrome-c oxidase, thereby protecting respiration in the skeletal muscle and the heart.
Brunori
M
M
Department of Biochemical Sciences, University of Rome 'La Sapienza', P.le Aldo Moro 5, 00185, Rome, Italy. maurizio.brunori@uniroma1.it
D000818:Animals; D019069:Cell Respiration / Q000502:physiology; D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV / Q000378:metabolism*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000378:metabolism*; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism*; D009211:Myoglobin / Q000378:metabolism*; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism*
D009211:Myoglobin; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV