Skip to main content
NCBI home page
Journal of Bacteriology logoLink to Journal of Bacteriology
. 1989 Mar;171(3):1423–1427. doi: 10.1128/jb.171.3.1423-1427.1989

Activation of formylmethanofuran synthesis in cell extracts of Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum.

T A Bobik 1, R S Wolfe 1
PMCID: PMC209762  PMID: 2921239

Abstract

In cell extracts of Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum, formylmethanofuran (formyl-MFR) synthesis (an essential CO2 fixation reaction that is an early step in CO2 reduction to methane) is subject to a complex activation that involves a heterodisulfide of coenzyme M and N-(7-mercaptoheptanoyl)threonine O3-phosphate (CoM-S-S-HTP). In this paper we report that titanium(III) citrate, a low-potential reducing agent, stimulated CO2 reduction to methane and activated formyl-MFR synthesis in cell extracts. Titanium(III) citrate functioned as the sole source of electrons for formyl-MFR synthesis and enabled this reaction to occur independently of CoM-S-S-HTP. In addition, CoM-S-S-HTP was found to activate an unknown electron carrier that reduced metronidazole. The activation of formyl-MFR synthesis by CoM-S-S-HTP may involve the activation of a low-potential electron carrier.

Full text

PDF
1423

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Bobik T. A., Donnelly M. I., Rinehart K. L., Jr, Wolfe R. S. Structure of a methanofuran derivative found in cell extracts of Methanosarcina barkeri. Arch Biochem Biophys. 1987 May 1;254(2):430–436. doi: 10.1016/0003-9861(87)90121-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Bobik T. A., Olson K. D., Noll K. M., Wolfe R. S. Evidence that the heterodisulfide of coenzyme M and 7-mercaptoheptanoylthreonine phosphate is a product of the methylreductase reaction in Methanobacterium. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 1987 Dec 16;149(2):455–460. doi: 10.1016/0006-291x(87)90389-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Bobik T. A., Wolfe R. S. Physiological importance of the heterodisulfide of coenzyme M and 7-mercaptoheptanoylthreonine phosphate in the reduction of carbon dioxide to methane in Methanobacterium. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1988 Jan;85(1):60–63. doi: 10.1073/pnas.85.1.60. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Chen J. S., Blanchard D. K. A simple hydrogenase-linked assay for ferredoxin and flavodoxin. Anal Biochem. 1979 Feb;93(1):216–222. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. DiMarco A. A., Donnelly M. I., Wolfe R. S. Purification and properties of the 5,10-methenyltetrahydromethanopterin cyclohydrolase from Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum. J Bacteriol. 1986 Dec;168(3):1372–1377. doi: 10.1128/jb.168.3.1372-1377.1986. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Donnelly M. I., Wolfe R. S. The role of formylmethanofuran: tetrahydromethanopterin formyltransferase in methanogenesis from carbon dioxide. J Biol Chem. 1986 Dec 15;261(35):16653–16659. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Ellermann J., Hedderich R., Böcher R., Thauer R. K. The final step in methane formation. Investigations with highly purified methyl-CoM reductase (component C) from Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum (strain Marburg). Eur J Biochem. 1988 Mar 15;172(3):669–677. doi: 10.1111/j.1432-1033.1988.tb13941.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Escalante-Semerena J. C., Leigh J. A., Rinehart K. L., Wolfe R. S. Formaldehyde activation factor, tetrahydromethanopterin, a coenzyme of methanogenesis. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1984 Apr;81(7):1976–1980. doi: 10.1073/pnas.81.7.1976. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Escalante-Semerena J. C., Rinehart K. L., Jr, Wolfe R. S. Tetrahydromethanopterin, a carbon carrier in methanogenesis. J Biol Chem. 1984 Aug 10;259(15):9447–9455. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Gunsalus R. P., Tandon S. M., Wolfe R. S. A procedure for anaerobic column chromatography employing an anaerobic Freter-type chamber. Anal Biochem. 1980 Jan 15;101(2):327–331. doi: 10.1016/0003-2697(80)90195-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Gunsalus R. P., Wolfe R. S. Stimulation of CO2 reduction to methane by methylcoenzyme M in extracts Methanobacterium. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 1977 Jun 6;76(3):790–795. doi: 10.1016/0006-291x(77)91570-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Hartzell P. L., Zvilius G., Escalante-Semerena J. C., Donnelly M. I. Coenzyme F420 dependence of the methylenetetrahydromethanopterin dehydrogenase of Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 1985 Dec 31;133(3):884–890. doi: 10.1016/0006-291x(85)91218-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Jones W. J., Nagle D. P., Jr, Whitman W. B. Methanogens and the diversity of archaebacteria. Microbiol Rev. 1987 Mar;51(1):135–177. doi: 10.1128/mr.51.1.135-177.1987. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Leigh J. A., Rinehart K. L., Jr, Wolfe R. S. Methanofuran (carbon dioxide reduction factor), a formyl carrier in methane production from carbon dioxide in Methanobacterium. Biochemistry. 1985 Feb 12;24(4):995–999. doi: 10.1021/bi00325a028. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Leigh J. A., Wolfe R. S. Carbon dioxide reduction factor and methanopterin, two coenzymes required for CO2 reduction to methane by extracts of Methanobacterium. J Biol Chem. 1983 Jun 25;258(12):7536–7540. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Noll K. M., Donnelly M. I., Wolfe R. S. Synthesis of 7-mercaptoheptanoylthreonine phosphate and its activity in the methylcoenzyme M methylreductase system. J Biol Chem. 1987 Jan 15;262(2):513–515. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Noll K. M., Rinehart K. L., Jr, Tanner R. S., Wolfe R. S. Structure of component B (7-mercaptoheptanoylthreonine phosphate) of the methylcoenzyme M methylreductase system of Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1986 Jun;83(12):4238–4242. doi: 10.1073/pnas.83.12.4238. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Noll K. M., Wolfe R. S. The role of 7-mercaptoheptanoylthreonine phosphate in the methylcoenzyme M methylreductase system from Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 1987 May 29;145(1):204–210. doi: 10.1016/0006-291x(87)91307-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Romesser J. A., Balch W. E. Coenzyme M: preparation and assay. Methods Enzymol. 1980;67:545–552. doi: 10.1016/s0076-6879(80)67067-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Romesser J. A., Wolfe R. S. Coupling of methyl coenzyme M reduction with carbon dioxide activation in extracts of Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum. J Bacteriol. 1982 Nov;152(2):840–847. doi: 10.1128/jb.152.2.840-847.1982. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Rouvière P. E., Bobik T. A., Wolfe R. S. Reductive activation of the methyl coenzyme M methylreductase system of Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum delta H. J Bacteriol. 1988 Sep;170(9):3946–3952. doi: 10.1128/jb.170.9.3946-3952.1988. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Taylor C. D., Wolfe R. S. Structure and methylation of coenzyme M(HSCH2CH2SO3). J Biol Chem. 1974 Aug 10;249(15):4879–4885. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Journal of Bacteriology are provided here courtesy of American Society for Microbiology (ASM)

RESOURCES