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Updated: May 9, 2026

Single Liposome Measurements for the Study of Proton-Pumping Membrane Enzymes Using Electrochemistry and Fluorescent Microscopy
Published on: February 21, 2019
Functions of the hydrophilic channels in protonmotive cytochrome c oxidase
Peter R Rich1, Amandine Maréchal
1Glynn Laboratory of Bioenergetics, Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK. prr@ucl.ac.uk
Abstract:
The structures and functions of hydrophilic channels in electron-transferring membrane proteins are discussed. A distinction is made between proton channels that can conduct protons and dielectric channels that are non-conducting but can dielectrically polarize in response to the introduction of charge changes in buried functional centres. Functions of the K, D and H channels found in A1-type cytochrome c oxidases are reviewed in relation to these ideas. Possible control of function by dielectric channels and their evolutionary relation to proton channels is explored.
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