1. Electron-transport particles derived from Escherichia coli grown aerobically contain three b-type cytochromes with mid-point oxidation–reduction potentials at pH7 of +260mV, +80mV and −50mV, with n=1 for each. The variation of these values with pH was determined. 2. E. coli develops a different set of b-type cytochromes when grown anaerobically on glycerol with fumarate or nitrate as terminal electron acceptor. Electron-transport particles of fumarate-grown cells contain b-type cytochromes with mid-point potentials at pH7 of +140mV and +250mV (n=1). These two cytochromes are also present in cells grown with nitrate as terminal acceptor, where an additional cytochrome b with a mid-point potential of +10mV (n=1) is developed. 3. The wavelengths of the α-absorption-band maxima of the b-type cytochromes at 77K were: (a) for aerobically grown cells, cytochrome b (Em7 +260mV), 556nm and 563nm, cytochrome b (Em7 +80mV), 556nm and cytochrome b (Em7−50mV), 558nm; (b) for anaerobically grown cells, cytochrome b (Em7 +250mV), 558nm, cytochrome b (Em7 +40mV), 555nm and cytochrome b (Em7 +10mV), 556nm. 4. Cytochrome d was found to have a mid-point potential at pH7 of +280mV (n=1). 5. Cytochrome a1 was resolved as two components of equal magnitude with mid-point potentials of +260mV and +160mV (n=1). 6. Redox titrations performed in the presence of CO showed that one of the b-type cytochromes in the aerobically grown cultures was reduced, even at the upper limits of our range of electrode potentials (above +400mV). Cytochrome d was also not oxidizable in the presence of CO. Neither of the cytochromes a1 was affected by the presence of CO.
The Reaction with Oxygen of Cytochrome Oxidase (Cytochrome d) in Escherichia coli K12: Optical Studies of Intermediate Species and Cytochrome b Oxidation at Sub-zero Temperatures
