Physiological oxygen-utilizing proteins

Physiological oxygen-utilizing proteins represent a broad and essential class of proteins that interact with molecular oxygen (O2) to sustain aerobic life (DrugBank DB09145). This group includes oxygen transporters like hemoglobin and myoglobin, which facilitate the delivery and storage of oxygen in tissues, as well as enzymes like cytochrome c oxidase, the terminal complex of the mitochondrial respiratory chain responsible for ATP production (PubMed: 11771671). Additionally, it encompasses various oxygenases, such as cytochrome P450 enzymes and prolyl hydroxylases, which utilize oxygen for the metabolism of endogenous and exogenous compounds and the regulation of cellular responses to hypoxia via the HIF pathway (NCBI: NBK54103). Therapeutically, these proteins are the primary targets of supplemental oxygen therapy, used to treat hypoxemia and maintain tissue oxygenation in critically ill patients (StatPearls: NBK482221). However, the administration of oxygen must be carefully managed, as excessive levels can lead to the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), resulting in oxidative damage to lipids, proteins, and DNA, a condition known as oxygen toxicity (StatPearls: NBK493214).

Other names

Oxygen-binding proteinsOxygen-utilizing enzymesHeme-containing proteinsOxidoreductases

Oxygen acts as a substrate or ligand for these proteins. It binds to heme groups in hemoglobin for transport, serves as the terminal electron acceptor in the mitochondrial electron transport chain (cytochrome c oxidase), and acts as a co-substrate for oxygenases involved in metabolic pathways and cellular signaling (DrugBank DB09145; PubMed: 11771671).