Abstract
This study was aimed to characterize by Raman spectroscopy (excitation line 633 nm) different redox states of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase. The results obtained from a systematic analysis carried out on the mitochondrial enzyme prepared under redox conditions, differently affecting the valence state of the metal prosthetic groups, and a comparison with homologous bacterial heme-copper oxidases, cytochrome c and pyridine hemo-chrome extract revealed a novel redox state marker specifically linked to the redox transition of heme a, peaking at 1645 cm-1, and tentatively assigned to the C=C and/or C=N streching mode of the imidazole ring of a proxymal histidine ligand. The possible involvment of this redox-linked conformational change in the catalytic activity of cytochrome oxidase is discussed.
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