Early electron transfer in cytochrome c oxidase occurs by a chymotrypsin type relay

Evidence suggests that when ferrocytochrome c (the substrate) reduces cytochrome c oxidase (COX), electrons from the former enter the latter via Trp-104. What is still to be determined is the method by which electrons are transferred from ferrocytochrome c to Trp-104 and the method by which electrons arriving at Trp-104 are moved on to Cu(A), the first of the enzyme's four redox centres to be reduced. To shed light on this process, we used the computer to create and analyse an enzyme-substrate complex formed from the published structure of the two proteins. It was found that the front haem edge of ferrocytochrome c was in close proximity to Trp-104 of COX and that inclusive of Trp-104, only nine amino acid residues from COX lie along a broad channel stretching from Trp-104 to the enzyme's Cu(A) centre. Six of the nine residues, Trp-104, Tyr-105, His-102 Trp-106, Asp-158 and Glu-198, had the ideal chemical properties and were properly aligned to facilitate electron transfer. Here we propose that the reduction of Trp-104 and the subsequent reduction of Cu(A) occur by a hydride/hydrogen ion relay system similar to that seen at the active site of chymotrypsin.