The existence of a temperature-induced absorption band centred in the region of 666 nm is demonstrated for both membrane-bound and soluble cytochrome oxidase in the frozen state. The 666 nm band is generated solely by an increase in temperature of both fully reduced and mixed valence state cytochrome oxidase in the presence of CO or O2 within the 'pocket' containing the active site; it is not formed in the absence of both CO and O2 from the sample. The formation of the 666 nm band is entirely reversible when the temperature is decreased again and its formation is not dependent on the presence of liganded CO at the sixth coordination site of haem a3 in the low temperature range (below --120 degrees C) prior to photolysis. The shape and intensity of the 666 nm band are not affected by the extent of CO recombination following flash and photolysis and temperature increase and are not affected by changes in the valence states of the four metal centres when the O2 reaction is in progress.