Physiol. Res. 69: 947-965, 2020 https://doi.org/10.33549/physiolres.934446 REVIEW Role of Cytochrome c Oxidase Nuclear-Encoded Subunits in Health and Disease Kristýna ČUNÁTOVÁ1, David PAJUELO REGUERA1, Josef HOUŠTĚK1, Tomáš MRÁČEK1, Petr PECINA1 1Department of Bioenergetics, Institute of Physiology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic Received February 2, 2020 Accepted September 13, 2020 Epub Ahead of Print November 2, 2020 Summary
[email protected] and Tomáš Mráček, Department of Cytochrome c oxidase (COX), the terminal enzyme of Bioenergetics, Institute of Physiology CAS, Vídeňská 1083, 142 mitochondrial electron transport chain, couples electron transport 20 Prague 4, Czech Republic. E-mail:
[email protected] to oxygen with generation of proton gradient indispensable for the production of vast majority of ATP molecules in mammalian Cytochrome c oxidase cells. The review summarizes current knowledge of COX structure and function of nuclear-encoded COX subunits, which may Energy demands of mammalian cells are mainly modulate enzyme activity according to various conditions. covered by ATP synthesis carried out by oxidative Moreover, some nuclear-encoded subunits possess tissue-specific phosphorylation apparatus (OXPHOS) located in the and development-specific isoforms, possibly enabling fine-tuning central bioenergetic organelle, mitochondria. OXPHOS is of COX function in individual tissues. The importance of nuclear- composed of five multi-subunit complexes embedded in encoded subunits is emphasized by recently discovered the inner mitochondrial membrane (IMM). Electron pathogenic mutations in patients with severe mitopathies. In transport from reduced substrates of complexes I and II to addition, proteins substoichiometrically associated with COX were cytochrome c oxidase (COX, complex IV, CIV) is found to contribute to COX activity regulation and stabilization of achieved by increasing redox potential of individual the respiratory supercomplexes.