The two-subunit cytochrome c oxidase fromParacoccus denitrificans has been sequentially digested with chymotrypsin and Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease. The smaller subunit of the enzyme (apparent Mr 32,000) was split into numerous peptides that were removed by anion-exchange HPLC. The larger subunit was only digested to a limited extent (from an apparent Mr 45,000 to M, 43,000), and the spectral properties were preserved relative to the native enzyme (a reduced minus oxidized difference spectrum with maxima at 447 and 607 nm in the Soret and a region, respectively). As judged from CO-reduced spectra this proteolytically digested, one-fragment oxidase was found to contain an equal amount of cytochromes a and a3. The enzymatic activity with reduced cytochrome c as substrate in the presence of Triton X-100 proceeded with equal affimity (apparent K. = 0.5-1.0 pM) and with a V__ of =20% (40 s-1) of that found with the native