Theoretical identification of proton channels in the quinol oxidase aa3 from Acidianus ambivalens.

ABSTRACT: Heme-copper oxidases are membrane proteins found in the respiratory chain of aerobic organisms. They are the terminal electron acceptors coupling the translocation of protons across the membrane with the reduction of oxygen to water. Because the catalytic process occurs in the heme cofactors positioned well inside the protein matrix, proton channels must exist. However, due to the high structural divergence among this kind of proteins, the proton channels previously described are not necessarily conserved. In this work we modeled the structure of the quinol oxidase from Acidianus ambivalens using comparative modeling techniques for identifying proton channels. Additionally, given the high importance that water molecules may have in this process, we have developed a methodology, within the

SUBMITTER: Victor BL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1304938 | biostudies-literature | 2004 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature