cytochrome

[ sahy-tuh-krohm ]

noun

, Biochemistry.

1. any of several carrier molecules in the mitochondria of plant and animal cells, consisting of a protein and an iron-containing porphyrin ring and participating in the stepwise transfer of electrons in oxidation reactions: each cytochrome alternately accepts and releases an electron at a slightly lower energy level in the order designated b, c 1 , c, a, and a 3 .

cytochrome

/ ˈsaɪtəʊˌkrəʊm /

noun

1. any of a group of naturally occurring compounds, consisting of iron, a protein, and a porphyrin, that are important in cell oxidation-reduction reactions

cytochrome

/ sī′tə-krōm′ /

1. Any of a class of usually colored proteins that play important roles in oxidative processes and energy transfer during cell metabolism and cellular respiration. Cytochromes are electron carriers . They contain a heme group and are similar in structure to hemoglobin and chlorophyll. The most abundant and stable type is cytochrome c. By comparing different kinds of cytochromes, scientists can trace the evolutionary relationships of the organisms in which they occur.

Word History and Origins

Origin of cytochrome¹

First recorded in 1895–1900; cyto- + -chrome

Example Sentences

It might have been particularly attractive to the bacteria that were forerunners of mitochondria, since cytochrome c oxidase, the last enzyme in the chain of reactions that mitochondria use to produce energy, requires copper to function.

From Quanta Magazine