CcmD is involved in complex formation between CcmC and the heme chaperone CcmE during cytochrome c maturation

J Biol Chem. 2005 Jan 7;280(1):236-43. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M410912200. Epub 2004 Oct 28.

Abstract

CcmD is a small membrane protein involved in heme delivery to the heme chaperone CcmE during cytochrome c maturation. Here we show that it physically interacts with CcmE and CcmC, another essential component of the heme delivery system. We demonstrate the formation of a ternary complex consisting of CcmCDE. A deletion analysis of individual domains revealed that the central hydrophobic domain is essential for its function. Moreover, the C-terminal, cytoplasmic domain seems to require a net positive charge to be functional. Our topology analysis indicates that CcmD is an integral interfacial membrane protein with its N and C termini extruding into the cytoplasmic side of the membrane. Interactions of CcmD with either ferrochelatase, the last heme biosynthetic enzyme, or directly with heme were not detectable. We postulate a function for CcmD in protein-protein interaction or membrane protein assembly required for the heme delivery process.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / chemistry
  • Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / metabolism*
  • Bacterial Proteins / chemistry
  • Bacterial Proteins / metabolism*
  • Biological Transport
  • Cytochromes c / chemistry
  • Cytochromes c / metabolism*
  • Escherichia coli Proteins / chemistry
  • Escherichia coli Proteins / metabolism*
  • Heme / metabolism
  • Hemeproteins / chemistry
  • Hemeproteins / metabolism*
  • Membrane Proteins / chemistry
  • Membrane Proteins / metabolism*
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Protein Binding
  • Protein Conformation
  • Protein Structure, Tertiary

Substances

  • Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins
  • Bacterial Proteins
  • CcmC protein, bacteria
  • CcmD protein, E coli
  • CcmE protein, E coli
  • Escherichia coli Proteins
  • Hemeproteins
  • Membrane Proteins
  • Heme
  • Cytochromes c