Review Article

Protein Machineries Involved in the Attachment of Heme to Cytochrome c: Protein Structures and Molecular Mechanisms

Table 1

Protein components of Systems I, II, and III along with their structural features (or PDB codes, when known) and functional roles. System I proteins are found in - and -proteobacteria, some - and -proteobacteria, and Deinococci and Archaea. Plant mitochondria. Mitochondria of some protozoa. System II proteins are found in plant chloroplasts. Gram-positive bacteria, cyanobacteria, -proteobacteria, most -proteobacteria, and some -proteobacteria. HCCS of System III is found in the mitochondria of fungi, vertebrates, and invertebrates.

System I (SI)SI structural featuresSystem II (SII)SII structural featuresSystem III (SIII)SIII structural featuresFunction(s)

CcmAABC transporter; membrane n-side; nucleotide-binding domainResB (CcsB)5-6 TM helices;
1 large periplasmic
domain; conserved His residues
HCCSMembrane-associated protein; conserved His residues Heme translocation and delivery

CcmBABC transporter; 6 TM helicesResC (CcsA)6–8 TM helices;
WWD domain;
conserved His
residues

CcmC6 TM helices; periplasmic WWD domain

CcmDSmall membrane protein; 1 TM helix

CcmE1 TM helix; OB-fold
1SR3, 1LM0, 1J6Q, 2KCT

CcmG1 TM helix; TRX-like fold
1Z5Y, 2B1K, 1KNG, 3KH7, 3KH9, 3K8N
ResATRX-like fold
2H1B, 1SU9,
1ST9, 2F9S
apoCyt thioreduction

CcmH1 TM helix; 3-helix bundle fold
2HL7, 2KW0
CcdA6 TM helices

CcmF10–15 TM helices; periplasmic WWD domain; conserved His residues.ResB (CcsB)
ResC (CcsA)
HCCSapoCyt chaperoning and heme attachment

CcmIPeriplasmic TPR and / domains