Crystal structure of human SCO1: implications for redox signaling by a mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase "assembly" protein

J Biol Chem. 2005 Apr 15;280(15):15202-11. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M410705200. Epub 2005 Jan 19.

Abstract

Human SCO1 and SCO2 are copper-binding proteins involved in the assembly of mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase (COX). We have determined the crystal structure of the conserved, intermembrane space core portion of apo-hSCO1 to 2.8 A. It is similar to redox active proteins, including thioredoxins (Trx) and peroxiredoxins (Prx), with putative copper-binding ligands located at the same positions as the conserved catalytic residues in Trx and Prx. SCO1 does not have disulfide isomerization or peroxidase activity, but both hSCO1 and a sco1 null in yeast show extreme sensitivity to hydrogen peroxide. Of the six missense mutations in SCO1 and SCO2 associated with fatal mitochondrial disorders, one lies in a highly conserved exposed surface away from the copper-binding region, suggesting that this region is involved in protein-protein interactions. These data suggests that SCO functions not as a COX copper chaperone, but rather as a mitochondrial redox signaling molecule.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Binding Sites
  • Cattle
  • Chromatography
  • Copper / chemistry
  • Crystallography, X-Ray
  • Cysteine / chemistry
  • Disulfides / chemistry
  • Electron Transport Complex IV / chemistry*
  • Genotype
  • Humans
  • Hydrogen Peroxide / chemistry
  • Hydrogen Peroxide / pharmacology
  • Ligands
  • Membrane Proteins / chemistry*
  • Mitochondria / metabolism*
  • Mitochondrial Proteins / chemistry
  • Models, Molecular
  • Molecular Chaperones / chemistry
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Mutation
  • Mutation, Missense
  • Oxidation-Reduction
  • Peroxidases / chemistry
  • Peroxides / chemistry
  • Point Mutation
  • Protein Conformation
  • Protein Structure, Tertiary
  • Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
  • Thioredoxins / chemistry
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • Disulfides
  • Ligands
  • Membrane Proteins
  • Mitochondrial Proteins
  • Molecular Chaperones
  • Peroxides
  • SCO1 protein, human
  • Thioredoxins
  • Copper
  • Hydrogen Peroxide
  • Peroxidases
  • Electron Transport Complex IV
  • Cysteine