InterPro domain: IPR041845

Phytocyanins are classified into four groups: stellacyanin, plantacyanin, uclacyanin and early nodulin groups. The domain architecture of mavicyanin reveals that it is a member of the stellacyanin group [ 1 ].

Mavicyanin is a glycosylated protein isolated from Cucurbita pepo medullosa (zucchini) peelings. It belongs to the phytocyanin family of blue copper proteins, a ubiquitous family of plant cupredoxins. Mavicyanin is involved in electron transfer reactions with the Cu centre transitioning between the oxidized Cu(II) form and the reduced Cu(I) form. The copper is tetrahedrally coordinated by a cysteine, 2 histidines, and a glutamine residue, like in the case of stellacyanin. The biological roles of mavicyanin have not been elucidated yet [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ].

1. Uclacyanins, stellacyanins, and plantacyanins are distinct subfamilies of phytocyanins: plant-specific mononuclear blue copper proteins. Protein Sci. 7, 1915-29
2. Structural reorganization of the copper binding site involving Thr15 of mavicyanin from Cucurbita pepo medullosa (zucchini) upon reduction. J. Biochem. 137, 455-61
3. Mavicyanin, a blue copper protein from Cucurbita pepo medullosa. Purification and characterization. Eur. J. Biochem. 101, 77-84
4. Copper protein structures. Adv. Protein Chem. 42, 145-97
5. Cupredoxins--a study of how proteins may evolve to use metals for bioenergetic processes. Metallomics 3, 140-51