The structure of the oxidized state of cytochrome c oxidase - experiments and theory compared.

Cytochrome c oxidase (CcO), the terminal enzyme in the respiratory chain, reduces molecular oxygen to water. Experimental data on the midpoint potentials of the heme iron/copper active site cofactors do not match the overall reaction energetics, and are also in conflict with the observed efficiency of energy conservation in CcO. Therefore it has been postulated that the ferric/cupric intermediate (the oxidized state) exists in two forms. One form, labelled OH, is presumably involved during catalytic turnover, and should have a high CuB midpoint potential due to a metastable high energy structure. When no more electrons are supplied, the OH state supposedly relaxes to the resting form, labelled O, with a lower energy and a lower midpoint potential. It has been suggested that there is a pure geometrical difference between the OH and O states, obtained by moving a water molecule inside the active site. It is shown here that the difference between the two forms of the oxidized state must be of a more chemical nature. The reason is that all types of geometrically relaxed structures of the oxidized intermediate have similar energies, all with a high proton coupled reduction potential in accordance with the postulated OH state. One hypothesized chemical modification of the OH state is the transfer of an extra proton, possibly internal, into the active site. Such a protonated state has several properties that agree with experimental data on the relaxed oxidized state, including a decreased midpoint potential.