TY - JOUR
T1 - Kinetic design of the respiratory oxidases
AU - Von Ballmoos, Christoph
AU - Gennis, Robert B.
AU - Ädelroth, Pia
AU - Brzezinski, Peter
PY - 2011/7/5
Y1 - 2011/7/5
N2 - Energy conservation in all kingdoms of life involves electron transfer, through a number of membrane-bound proteins, associated with proton transfer across the membrane. In aerobic organisms, the last component of this electron-transfer chain is a respiratory heme-copper oxidase that catalyzes reduction of O 2 to H 2O, linking this process to transmembrane proton pumping. So far, the molecular mechanism of proton pumping is not known for any system that is driven by electron transfer. Here, we show that this problem can be addressed and elucidated in a unique cytochrome c oxidase (cytochrome ba 3) from a thermophilic bacterium, Thermus thermophilus. The results show that in this oxidase the electron- and proton-transfer reactions are orchestrated in time such that previously unresolved proton-transfer reactions could be directly observed. On the basis of these data we propose that loading of the proton pump occurs upon electron transfer, but before substrate proton transfer, to the catalytic site. Furthermore, the results suggest that the pump site alternates between a protonated and deprotonated state for every second electron transferred to the catalytic site, which would explain the noninteger pumping stoichiometry (0.5 H +/e -) of the ba 3 oxidase. Our studies of this variant of Nature's palette of mechanistic solutions to a basic problem offer a route toward understanding energy conservation in biological systems.
AB - Energy conservation in all kingdoms of life involves electron transfer, through a number of membrane-bound proteins, associated with proton transfer across the membrane. In aerobic organisms, the last component of this electron-transfer chain is a respiratory heme-copper oxidase that catalyzes reduction of O 2 to H 2O, linking this process to transmembrane proton pumping. So far, the molecular mechanism of proton pumping is not known for any system that is driven by electron transfer. Here, we show that this problem can be addressed and elucidated in a unique cytochrome c oxidase (cytochrome ba 3) from a thermophilic bacterium, Thermus thermophilus. The results show that in this oxidase the electron- and proton-transfer reactions are orchestrated in time such that previously unresolved proton-transfer reactions could be directly observed. On the basis of these data we propose that loading of the proton pump occurs upon electron transfer, but before substrate proton transfer, to the catalytic site. Furthermore, the results suggest that the pump site alternates between a protonated and deprotonated state for every second electron transferred to the catalytic site, which would explain the noninteger pumping stoichiometry (0.5 H +/e -) of the ba 3 oxidase. Our studies of this variant of Nature's palette of mechanistic solutions to a basic problem offer a route toward understanding energy conservation in biological systems.
KW - Electrochemical gradient
KW - Membrane protein
KW - Rapid kinetics
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=79960612946&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=79960612946&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1073/pnas.1104103108
DO - 10.1073/pnas.1104103108
M3 - Article
C2 - 21690359
AN - SCOPUS:79960612946
SN - 0027-8424
VL - 108
SP - 11057
EP - 11062
JO - Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
JF - Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
IS - 27
ER -