Exposing the Complex III Qo semiquinone radical

Complex III Qo site semiquinone has been assigned pivotal roles in productive energy-conversion and destructive superoxide generation. After a 30-year search, a genetic heme bH knockout arrests this transient semiquinone EPR radical, revealing the natural engineering balance pitting energy-conserving, short-circuit minimizing, split electron transfer and catalytic speed against damaging oxygen reduction.