Electron-paramagnetic-resonance studies of structure and function of the two-haem enzymes Pseudomonas cytochrome c peroxidase and beef heart cytochrome c oxidase.

Beef heart cytochrome c oxidase contains two cytochromes, a and a3, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa cytochrome c peroxidase has one high- and one low-potential c haem, cHP and cLP. The parallelism in co-ordination and spin states between cytochrome a and haem cHP on the one hand and between cytochrome a3 and haem cLP on the other is illustrated. The two latter haems become accessible to cyanide, when the former are reduced. Such reduction also leads to an activation of the enzymes. Mechanisms are presented in which ferryl forms of cytochromes a3 and haem cLP take part. The enzymes reach an oxidation state, formally the same as resting enzyme, but with different properties.