The primary structure of cytochrome c from the rust fungus Ustilago sphaerogena

1. The complete amino acid sequence of cytochrome c from the basidiomycete Ustilago sphaerogena was determined from the amino acid compositions and sequences of either tryptic or chymotryptic peptides, and in homology with at least thirty other established sequences of cytochrome c. 2. The primary structure of the molecule bears all of the characteristics of a mammalian-type cytochrome c, showing the typical clustered distribution of hydrophobic and basic residues with a single polypeptide chain of 107 residues. 3. Like all other fungal cytochromes c, it possesses a free N-terminus, and one less residue at the C-terminus than vertebrate cytochromes c. The region of residues 70-80 is strictly conserved, as is histidine at position 18. Position 26 is occupied by an asparagine residue, in contrast to histidine which occurs at this location in most of the known sequences of mammalian-type cytochromes c. 4. In contrast to some other fungal and plant cytochromes c of known primary structures, the Ustilago cytochrome c molecule does not contain trimethyl-lysine. 5. The sequence of Ustilago cytochrome c differs from the sequences of human, horse, chicken, tuna, wheat, and baker's yeast proteins at loci 47, 43, 44, 44 and 38 respectively.