Acidic cytochrome c6 of unicellular cyanobacteria is an indispensable and kinetically competent electron donor to cytochrome oxidase in plasma and thylakoid membranes.

Cytochromes c6 from three cyanobacteria were tested as substrates for membranous cyt. c oxidase(aa3) of Anacystis and Synechocystis using intact spheroplasts or isolated plasma(CM) and thylakoid(ICM) membranes. Neither spheroplasts nor CM/ICM gave significant O2 uptake rates with NADH without added cyt. c. Horse cyt. c (at low ionic strength) or cyt. c6 from Anacystis, Synechocystis or Microcystis (at high ionic strength) supported substantial HCN- & CO-sensitive NADH oxidase activity, consistent with in vivo O2 uptake. Cyanobacterial respiratory electron transport involves NADH dehydrogenase(fpN), plastoquinone, cyt. b/c(f), cyt. c6 & cyt. aa3, in both CM & ICM. In ICM, fpN and cyt. aa3 are functionally replaced in the light by PS II and PS I, respectively. In both membranes, cyt. c6 is an obligatory electron donor to cyt. aa3 &/or to P700. Respiratory action of acidic cyt. c6 (in unicellular species) may be unmasked only under conditions of elevated ionic strength.