Crystallization of mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase.

Cytochrome oxidase (ferrocytochrome c:oxygen oxidoreductase, EC 1.9.3.1) was purified from beef heart mitochondria. By washing the oxidase with detergent on a hydrophobic interaction column, phospholipids were depleted to the level of 1 mol of cardiolipin per mol of heme a. Hydrophobic impurities and partially denatured oxidase were separated from the intact oxidase on an affinity column with cytochrome c as the specific ligand. The final preparation of the oxidase contained seven distinct polypeptides. The molecular weight of the oxidase was estimated to be 130,000 from its specific heme a and copper content and from the subunit composition. Crystals of the oxidase were obtained by slow removal of the detergent from the buffer in which the oxidase was dissolved. The needle-shaped crystals were 100 microns in average length and 5 microns in width, and they strongly polarized visible light. Electron diffraction patterns were obtained with an unstained glutaraldehyde-fixed single crystal by electron microscopy using 1,000-kV electrons. From electron micrographs and the diffraction patterns of the crystal, it was concluded that the crystal is monoclinic in the space group P21, with unit cell dimensions a = 92 A, b = 84 A, and c = 103 A, and alpha = beta = 90 degrees, gamma = 126 degrees.