Our studies are designed to determine which amino acid residues are involved in catalyzing the cyclooxygenase and hydroperoxidase activities of prostaglandin endoperoxide (PGG/H) synthase. We have deduced from complementary (c)DNAs the amino acid sequences of the sheep and mouse PGG/H synthases, and a portion of the human PGG/H synthase. These enzymes have amino acid sequences which are about 90% identical. Sequence similarities with putative heme binding regions of myeloperoxidase and thyroid peroxidase suggest that the sequence TI(L)WLREHNRV of PGG/H synthase contains the histidine (His309) which is the proximal heme ligand; the distal heme ligand may be His226 which is found in the sequence 222-KALGH-226. Using site-directed mutagenesis, we have replaced Ser530, the serine residue which is acetylated by aspirin, with Ala530 and with Asn530; the Ala530 mutant has both cyclooxygenase and hydroperoxidase activity, while the Asn530 mutant lacks cyclooxygenase activity but retains hydroperoxidase activity. These results establish that the hydroxyl group of Ser530 is not essential for catalysis or substrate binding and suggest that a bulky group at position 530, such as that introduced by aspirin acetylation, prevents arachidonate binding to the cyclooxygenase active site. Finally, we have found that tetranitromethane causes irreversible inactivation of cyclooxygenase activity and that the enzyme is protected from inactivation when ibuprofen is included in the reaction mixture. These results suggest that there is an essential tyrosine at the active site of PGG/H synthase.