TSRI's main web site PROMISE mirror at TSRI Metalloprotein DB site Created: 29 April 1998
Last modified: 29 December 1998


Copper proteins

Copper proteins can be classified according to their biological function, by Cu centre type, by type and number of prosthetic centres, and by sequence similarity.

Copper proteins by function

Function Protein class / family
Catalysis Oxidoreductases
  • Amine oxidase
  • Ammonia monooxygenase
  • Ascorbate oxidase
  • Ceruloplasmin
  • Cu,Zn­superoxide dismutase
  • Cytochrome c oxidase
  • Diamine oxidase
  • Dopamine ß­hydroxylase
  • Galactose oxidase
  • Laccase
  • Lysyl oxidase
  • Methane monooxygenase
  • N2O reductase
  • Nitrite reductase
  • Peptidylglycine alpha­hydroxylating monooxygenase
  • Phenylalanine hydroxylase
  • Tyrosinase
  • Ubiquinone oxidase
Electron transfer
  • Auracyanin
  • Azurin
  • Phytocyanin family
  • Plastocyanin family
  • Rusticyanin

Copper proteins by Cu centre type

Copper centre Protein class / family
Type I Cu centre image

Cu(NdeltaHis)2SgammaCysR

R = SdeltaMet (azurin, plastocyanin, laccase)
R = OepsilonGlu (phytocyanins)
R = H2O (ceruloplasmin)

  • Type I (blue copper proteins)
    • Small blue proteins
      • Auracyanin
      • Azurin
      • Phytocyanin family
      • Plastocyanin family
      • Rusticyanin
    • Blue oxidases
      • Ascorbate oxidase
      • Ceruloplasmin
      • Laccase
    • Nitrite reductase
  • Type II Cu centre image

    Cu(NepsilonHis)mRn

    L = N, O or S ligands; R = O or S ligands
    m = 1 to 4; n = 0 to 3; m+n = 4 or 5

  • Type II
    • Cu,Zn­superoxide dismutase
    • Dioxygenases
    • Monooxygenases
      • Dopamine ß­hydroxylase
      • Methane monooxygenase
      • Peptidylglycine alpha­hydroxylating monooxygenase
      • Phenylalanine hydroxylase
    • Nitrite reductase
    • Non­blue oxidases
      • Amine oxidase
      • Diamine oxidase
      • Galactose oxidase
      • Lysyl oxidase
  • Type III Cu centre image

    µ­O2[Cu(NepsilonHis)3]2
  • Type III
    • Catechol oxidase
    • Haemocyanins
    • Tyrosinase
  • Type II+III Cu centre image

    Cu(NepsilonHis)2OH·µ­OH[Cu(NepsilonHis)3]2
  • Trinuclear centre (type II + type III)
    • Blue oxidases
      • Ascorbate oxidase
      • Ceruloplasmin
      • Laccase
  • CuA centre image

    Cu2(NdeltaHis)2OalphaGluSdeltaMet(µ­SgammaCys)2
  • CuA
  • CuB centre image

    CuNdeltaHis(NepsilonHis)2L
    L = bridging ligand between CuB and Fe of haem a3
  • CuB
  • Copper proteins by type and number of prosthetic centres

    Copper proteins
    Simple Complex
    • Type I only
      • Small blue proteins
        • Auracyanin
        • Azurin
        • Phytocyanin family
        • Plastocyanin family
        • Rusticyanin

    • Type II only
      • Galactose oxidase
      • Peptidylglycine alpha­hydroxylating monooxygenase

    • Type III only
      • Catechol oxidase
      • Haemocyanins
      • Tyrosinase

    • Type I + type II
      • Nitrite reductase

    • Type I + trinuclear
      • Multicopper oxidases
        • Ascorbate oxidase
        • Ceruloplasmin
        • Laccase
    • Haem-copper proteins

    • Cu-TPQ proteins
      • Amine oxidase
      • Diamine oxidase
      • Lysyl oxidase

    • Cu-Zn proteins
      • Cu,Zn­superoxide dismutase

    Copper proteins in motif databases

    PRINTS ID PRINTS AC PROSITE/BLOCKS ID PROSITE AC BLOCKS AC
    AMICYANIN PR00155 COPPER_BLUE PS00196 BL00196
    COPPERBLUE PR00156
    PLASTOCYANIN PR00157
    RUSTICYANIN PR00158
    COPPERFIST PR00617 COPPER_FIST_1
    COPPER_FIST_2
    PS01119
    PS50073
    BL01119
    -
    -
    COX1 PS00077 BL00077
    -
    -
    COX2 PS00078 BL00078
    -
    -
    COX5B PS00848 BL00848
    -
    -
    COX10_CTAB_CYOE PS00943 BL00943
    CUDAOXIDASE PR00766 COPPER_AMINE_OXID_1
    COPPER_AMINE_OXID_1
    PS01164
    PS01165
    BL01164
    CUNO2RDTASE PR00695
    -
    -
    -
    CUZNDISMTASE PR00068 SOD_CU_ZN_1
    SOD_CU_ZN_2
    PS00087
    PS00332
    BL00087
    DBMONOXGNASE PR00767 CU2_MONOOXYGENASE_1
    CU2_MONOOXYGENASE_2
    PS00084
    PS00085
    BL00084
    PAMONOXGNASE PR00790
    HAEMOCYANIN PR00187 HEMOCYANIN_1
    HEMOCYANIN_2
    PS00209
    PS00210
    BL00209
    LYSYLOXIDASE PR00074 LYSYL_OXIDASE PS00926 BL00926
    -
    -
    MULTICOPPER_OXIDASE1
    MULTICOPPER_OXIDASE2
    PS00079
    PS00080
    BL00079
    -
    -
    BIOPTERIN_HYDROXYL PS00367 BL00367
    TYROSINASE PR00092 TYROSINASE_1
    TYROSINASE_2
    PS00497
    PS00498
    BL00497
    URICASE PR00093 URICASE PS00366 BL00366

    Copper proteins in PROMISE

    PROMISE ID Description
    COX Cytochrome c oxidase

    HET groups in PDB (at BSM)

    HET group Description Formula HET group Description Formula
    C1O*
    Hydroxy­copper* Cu-OH*
    C2O*
    µ­hydroxy­dicopper* Cu-OH-Cu*
    CU
    Copper ion Cu1+/2+
    ZN
    Zinc ion Zn2+

    * The PDB entry does not include hydrogen atoms

    Copper proteins in 3­D databases

    Electron­transfer proteins Enzymes

  • Cytochrome c oxidase
  • References

    1. Cowan, J.A. (1993) Inorganic Biochemistry: An Introduction. VCH Publishers, New York.
    2. Nomenclature Committee of the International Union of Biochemistry (NC-IUB) (1991) Nomenclature of electron­transfer proteins. Recommendations 1989. Eur. J. Biochem. 200, 599-611.
    General references on copper proteins