Rieske head domain dynamics and indazole-derivative inhibition of Candida albicans complex III.
Di Trani, J.M., Liu, Z., Whitesell, L., Brzezinski, P., Cowen, L.E., Rubinstein, J.L.(2022) Structure 30: 129
- PubMed: 34525326 
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.str.2021.08.006
- Primary Citation of Related Structures:  
7RJA, 7RJB, 7RJC, 7RJD, 7RJE - PubMed Abstract: 
Electron transfer between respiratory complexes drives transmembrane proton translocation, which powers ATP synthesis and membrane transport. The homodimeric respiratory complex III (CIII 2 ) oxidizes ubiquinol to ubiquinone, transferring electrons to cytochrome c and translocating protons through a mechanism known as the Q cycle. The Q cycle involves ubiquinol oxidation and ubiquinone reduction at two different sites within each CIII monomer, as well as movement of the head domain of the Rieske subunit. We determined structures of Candida albicans CIII 2 by cryoelectron microscopy (cryo-EM), revealing endogenous ubiquinone and visualizing the continuum of Rieske head domain conformations. Analysis of these conformations does not indicate cooperativity in the Rieske head domain position or ligand binding in the two CIIIs of the CIII 2 dimer. Cryo-EM with the indazole derivative Inz-5, which inhibits fungal CIII 2 and is fungicidal when administered with fungistatic azole drugs, showed that Inz-5 inhibition alters the equilibrium of Rieske head domain positions.
Organizational Affiliation: 
Molecular Medicine Program, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada.