Mutagenesis reveals a specific role for Cox17p in copper transport to cytochrome oxidase.

The provision of copper to cytochrome oxidase is one of the requisite steps in the assembly of the holoenzyme. Several proteins are involved in this process including Cox17p, Sco1p, and Cox11p. Cox17p, an 8-kDa protein, is the only molecule thought to be involved in shuttling copper from the cytoplasm into mitochondria.