Copper protein

Copper proteins are proteins that contain one or more copper ions as prosthetic groups. Copper proteins are found in all forms of air-breathing life. These proteins are usually associated with electron-transfer with or without the involvement of oxygen (O2). Some organisms even use copper proteins to carry oxygen instead of iron proteins. A prominent copper protein in humans is in cytochrome c oxidase (cco). This enzyme cco mediates the controlled combustion that produces ATP.[1] Other copper proteins include some superoxide dismutases used in defense against free radicals, peptidyl-α-monooxygenase for the production of hormones, and tyrosinase, which affects skin pigmentation.[2]

  1. ^ Lontie R, ed. (2018). Copper Proteins and Copper Enzymes. Vol. III. CRC Press. ISBN 9781315891798.
  2. ^ Członkowska, Anna; Litwin, Tomasz; Dusek, Petr; Ferenci, Peter; Lutsenko, Svetlana; Medici, Valentina; Rybakowski, Janusz K.; Weiss, Karl Heinz; Schilsky, Michael L. (2018). "Wilson disease". Nature Reviews Disease Primers. 4 (1): 21. doi:10.1038/s41572-018-0018-3. PMC 6416051. PMID 30190489.