Component of the ubiquinol-cytochrome c reductase complex (complex III or cytochrome b-c1 complex) that is part of the mitochondrial respiratory chain. The b-c1 complex mediates electron transfer from ubiquinol to cytochrome c. Contributes to the generation of a proton gradient across the mitochondrial membrane that is then used for ATP synthesis. Binds 2 heme b groups non-covalently. The cytochrome bc1 complex contains 11 subunits: 3 respiratory subunits (MT-CYB, CYC1 and UQCRFS1), 2 core proteins (UQCRC1 and UQCRC2) and 6 low-molecular weight proteins (UQCRH/QCR6, UQCRB/QCR7, UQCRQ/QCR8, UQCR10/QCR9, UQCR11/QCR10 and a cleavage product of UQCRFS1). This cytochrome bc1 complex then forms a dimer. Defects in MT-CYB are a rare cause of mitochondrial dysfunction underlying different myopathies. They include mitochondrial encephalomyopathy, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), and sporadic mitochondrial myopathy (MM). In mitochondrial myopathy, exercise intolerance is the predominant symptom. Additional features include lactic acidosis, muscle weakness and/or myoglobinuria. Defects in MTCYB are also found in cases of exercise intolerance accompanied by deafness, intellectual disability, retinitis pigmentosa, cataract, growth retardation, epilepsy (multisystem disorder). The disease is caused by variants affecting the gene represented in this entry. The disease is caused by variants affecting distinct genetic loci, including the gene represented in this entry. Heme 1 (or BL or b562) is low-potential and absorbs at about 562 nm, and heme 2 (or BH or b566) is high-potential and absorbs at about 566 nm. Belongs to the cytochrome b family. The full-length protein contains only eight transmembrane helices, not nine as predicted by bioinformatics tools.