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

Yu and his team looked to nature for inspiration, in particular to cytochrome P450 enzymes, which are found in most living organisms, and help clear potentially toxic molecules in the human liver.

From Science Daily

A major group of the metabolic enzyme involved in that process are the human cytochrome P450 enzymes.

From Science Daily

In 2016, Arnold and her colleagues used directed evolution to engineer a bacterial protein called cytochrome c to form silicon-carbon bonds, a process that does not occur in nature.

From Science Daily

Importantly, this is the first enzymatic function reported for this subfamily of cytochrome P450.

From Science Daily

Once the nematode’s body absorbs it, the worm modifies it with enzymes, called cytochrome P450s, which in many organisms detoxify foreign molecules.

From Science Magazine