ABSTRACT
Cytochrome c oxidase is the terminal oxygen-reducing enzyme of the respiratory chains of mitochondria and bacteria, conducing electrons, which may be derived from various metabolic substrates, between cytochrome c and molecular oxygen to produce water. The quaternary structure of cytochrome c oxidase is highly complex and, clearly, the assembly of the various components into the functional enzyme requires a highly integrated and controlled system of biogenesis. The different methods for the purification of the cytochrome c oxidase are described by Hoechli and Hackenbrock. All these isolation procedures of such a delicate enzyme may easily disturb the native state of the complex. Using several different types of crystalline arrays for the three-dimensional reconstruction, Fuller et al. determined the general size and shape of the cytochrome c oxidase molecule. Using octylglucoside as detergent, three molecular forms of beef heart cytochrome c oxidase were measured by gel filtration through Ultrogel Ac A 34.
