Cell respiration is controlled by ATP, an allosteric inhibitor of cytochrome-c oxidase

The activity of cytochrome-c oxidase, the terminal enzyme of the mitochondrial respiratory chain, is known to be regulated by the substrate pressure, i.e. the ferro-/ferricytochrome c ratio, by the oxygen concentration, and by the electrochemical proton gradient Delta mu(H+) across the inner mitochondrial membrane. Here we describe a further mechanism of 'respiratory control' via allosteric inhibition of cytochrome-c oxidase by ATP, which binds to the matrix domain, of subunit IV. The cooperativity between cytochrome-c-binding sites in the dimeric enzyme complex is mediated by cardiolipin, which is essential for cooperativity of the enzyme within the lipid membrane.