The mitochondrial bc1 complex catalyzes the oxidation of ubiquinol and the reduction of cytochrome (cyt) c coupled to a vectorial translocation of protons across the membrane. On the basis of the three-dimensional structures of the bc1 complex in the presence of the inhibitor stigmatellin, it was assumed that the substrate quinol binding involves the cyt b glutamate residue E272 and the histidine 181 on the Rieske protein. Although extensive mutagenesis of glutamate E272 has been carried out, different experimental results were recently obtained, and different conclusions were drawn to explain its role in the bifurcated electron/proton transfer at the QO site. This residue is not totally conserved during evolution. We show in this study that replacement of E272 with apolar residues proline and valine naturally present in some organisms did not abolish the bc1 activity, although it slowed down the kinetics of electron transfer. The Km value for the binding of the substrate quinol was not modified, and the EPR data showed that the quinone/quinol binding still occurred in the mutants. Binding of stigmatellin was retained; however, mutations E272P,V induced resistance toward the QO site inhibitor myxothiazol. The pH dependence of the bc1 activity was not modified in the absence of the glutamate E272. Our results suggest that this residue may not be involved in direct substrate binding or in its direct deprotonation. Revertants were selected from the respiratory deficient mutant E272P. The observed suppressor mutations introduced polar residues serine and threonine at position 272. The data lead us to suggest that E272 may be involved in a later step on the proton exit pathway via the interaction with a water molecule.

• PMID: 18215069
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Journal Article

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Seddiki N, Meunier B, Lemesle-Meunier D, Brasseur G

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