Lipid requirements for cytochrome c oxidase activity.

Cytochrome c oxidase depleted of endogenous lipid by detergent exchange has been reconstituted into vesicles with synthetic lipids of known head group and fatty acid composition and enzymic activities have been measured. No evidence for head group specificity was found. However, the enzyme does require the fluid environment provided by unsaturated fatty acids. The state of dispersion of the enzyme was found to affect the activities regenerated in reconstitution studies. The highest activities were obtained using lysolecithin containing an oleoyl fatty acid as the lipid component.