CYC1

CYC1 is a gene that encodes the cytochrome c1 subunit of the respiratory chain complex III in humans. This gene is located on the chromosome 8 and is essential for the process of cellular respiration, which is the primary method by which cells generate energy.

Function

The CYC1 gene provides instructions for making a protein called cytochrome c1. This protein is a part of a group of proteins that form the ubiquinol-cytochrome c reductase complex (also known as complex III), which is the third complex in the mitochondrial respiratory chain. The respiratory chain is a series of protein complexes that function in the inner membrane of mitochondria, the energy-producing centers within cells.

Complex III plays a crucial role in cellular respiration by transferring electrons from coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) to cytochrome c, a protein that carries electrons to complex IV in the respiratory chain. This electron transfer is part of a larger process called oxidative phosphorylation, which generates adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the cell's main source of energy.

Clinical significance

Mutations in the CYC1 gene have been associated with mitochondrial complex III deficiency, a rare genetic condition that can affect several parts of the body, including the brain, muscles, heart, liver, and the nervous system. Symptoms can range from mild to severe and can appear anytime from infancy to adulthood.

File:Cytochrome c1.png

Structure of cytochrome c1, encoded by the CYC1 gene.

See also

• Mitochondrial disease
• Oxidative phosphorylation
• Respiratory chain