Characterization of mutations in the cytochrome b subunit of the bc1 complex of Rhodobacter sphaeroides that affect the quinone reductase site (Qc).

The cytochrome b subunit of the bc1 complex contains two heme components, cytochrome bL and cytochrome bH, and is the locus of both a quinol oxidizing site (Qo or Qz) and a quinone reducing site (Qi or Qc). The quinone reductase site has been previously characterized as the site of interaction for a set of inhibitors including antimycin A, diuron, funiculosin, and HQNO. In this paper, four highly conserved residues in the cytochrome b subunit of Rhodobacter sphaeroides (A52, H217, K251, and D252) were targeted for site-directed mutagenesis. These residues were chosen as being likely to be at or near the quinone reductase site, on the basis of known locations of missense mutations in the homologous yeast subunit that confer resistance to Qc-directed inhibitors. The site-directed mutants all exhibit a normal rate of reduction of cytochrome bH, suggesting a fully functional quinol oxidizing site. However, each of the mutants is impaired, to varying degrees, in the rate of reoxidation of cytochrome bH. Two mutants (H217A and D252A) are unable to grow photosynthetically, indicating a severe defect in the bc1 complex. In both cases, the cause of the defect is the lack of reoxidation of cytochrome bH by ubiquinone. This is the first report of mutations that selectively impair the rate of electron transfer from cytochrome bH to the Qc-site. This set of mutations will be useful not only for modeling the structure of the quinone reducing site but also in elucidating the catalytic mechanism of this portion of the Q-cycle.